Reassigned
by ATPD
Summary: Ed is reassigned to work under a different officer to everyone's horror. With the new CO being known to deal out harsh punishments, while he is most certainly going to try and change Ed into the perfect soldier, Roy takes a personal interest in making sure that he is cared for as a sinister plot unfurls around them. Parental Roy. Rating for violence and language.
1. Chapter 1

**So, I've just gone back here to chapter one to change the info a bit as a lot of the old version is rather outdated now after nine months of writing.**

**So, first of all: I would like to give a special thanks to **Multidimensional Scribe **who was the one to give me the base idea for this fic.**

**Furthermore, I would like to add that this story is parental Roy/Ed/Al, but as I began the story while I was still getting familiar with writing parental stories, and, more importantly, still had a hard time finding out and getting at ease with writing Al, he doesn't have a big part during these first twenty or so chapters. But the parental Roy/Al relationship will be explored gradually after that. **

**And so I don't own FMA, oddly enough, as I'm fairly certain that I'm not Japanese.**

**And so I hope you readers will enjoy this story!**

* * *

**Chapter One**

Roy Mustang was in his office, watching as his youngest subordinate entered his office to deliver a report.

"Good morning, Fullmetal."

"Hmf."

Which was when the phone rang.

Roy picked it up.

"This is Colonel Roy Mustang."

"Good morning, Mustang, this is Major General Schiff speaking. I want you and the Fullmetal Alchemist to come to my office in five minutes. That is all."

"Yes, Sir."

Then the man hung up.

Roy had to say that he was puzzled by this call. He could hardly see what the man would want with him, let alone Fullmetal.

The kid in question was looking up at him curiously from the other side of the desk.

"Fullmetal, your report will have to wait. Major General Schiff has requested our presence in five minutes." Roy rose from his seat, as did the kid.

They walked through the corridors of East HQ in silence. Then they stopped outside an office door and knocked. A young officer in his early twenties saluted them and followed them inside to the inner office.

"Thank you, Lieutenant Jones, you're dismissed," the strict General said from behind his desk. "Have a seat."

Roy sat down next to Fullmetal. The General eyed them over his folded hands and focused his attention upon the fourteen-year-old kid.

"I brought you here, because I am from now on ordering you to relinquish your command over the Fullmetal Alchemist Edward Elric, Colonel Mustang."

Roy froze. Panic was slowly creeping into him.

"From now on, Major Elric, you will be under my command, is that understood?"

The kid looked horrified.

"And know that I will not tolerate insubordinance like your previous Commanding Officer. You will address me correctly and I will not allow your brother to be in my office. You will also be going to the outfitters to get a uniform, which you will wear everyday. Do I make myself clear?"

Fullmetal sat there, clearly not knowing what to think. "Why do I have to change teams?" he said after a few seconds of silence.

"Because, Elric, you have considerable talents that would be put to much better use under my command. Colonel Mustang has been way too soft on you, and so you seem to have forgotten that you said goodbye to your childhood the moment you signed up. You are a soldier. You will hereby act in a way much more beneficial to the military."

Roy was curling up his fists, his nails digging into his palms. The man was planning on using Fullmetal as a pawn to further achieve his own goals.

**_And you're helpless to stop it, Roy._**

"And, Elric, that will be the last time that you haven't addressed me properly. You will either call me "General" or "Sir", is that understood?"

The kid glared furiously down at his feet. "Yes, Sir."

"Good, you will show up here at eight o'clock sharp tomorrow morning. Go to the outfitters today. That is all. You are both dismissed."

Roy followed the kid through the corridors and soon they were finding themselves outside the double doors leading to the outer office. He didn't know what to tell the teen.

"What do I do with Al?" Fullmetal wondered out loud.

Of course that would bother him.

Roy generally gave the two kids plenty of time off to search for the Stone, but even so, he had to say he enjoyed having them around when they were in.

"If he wants to, he can hang around at our office at least. Then you can see him at lunch." Roy had said it without a second's doubt.

The kid looked up at him incredulously. "Really?"

"Of course. He's just as much a part of the team as you are, and as long as I allow it, there shouldn't be any trouble."

"Oh." He looked both thankful and sorrowful at the same time.

Roy put a hand on his shoulder. "Listen, I'll try to do what I can to get you back, okay?"

"Thanks."

Roy gave his shoulder a quick squeeze. "You're welcome to join us for lunch any time you want, okay?"

"Yeah… thanks."

"And you should know, General Schiff is known to keep a firm hand on his subordinates, so please be careful. He's known for dealing out rather harsh punishments."

Roy felt odd. This just wasn't right. He had strictly speaking more or less been like a distant guardian to this kid for the last two years. Just having to let him go didn't feel right.

**_Besides, your team is your family, you don't just give up on them, now do you, Roy?_**

No. Definitely not.

"We're getting you back. In the meantime, just take care around General Schiff, okay?"

The kid just nodded.

They went back to the office, Roy not letting go of his shoulder until they were there, trying to lend him some comfort.

"What's up, Boss?" Havoc said, obviously sensing that something was wrong.

Everyone else turned their heads too.

"I've been reassigned," Fullmetal said quietly.

Everyone dropped whatever they were holding in their hands. Pencils, papers, folders and a cup of coffee fell to the floor at the same time. Even Hawkeye looked slightly discomposed.

"WHAT?!" Havoc and Breda said at the same time.

"Who?" Fuery said.

"Why?" Falman said.

"Brother!" Alphonse said.

"Major General Schiff," Roy said to explain everything.

Everyone except Al looked crestfallen at the mention of the name. Roy understood them all too well. A large part of Edward Elric's charm was his fierce personality. Which would be the first thing that General Schiff would seek to destroy about him. The man was going to try to form their fierce little firecracker into a perfect soldier.

Roy would have to stop it before it was too late.

"Colonel? Where do I even find the outfitters?" the kid whispered, clearly not comfortable with the situation and the shocked looks he was getting.

"Come, I'll take you," Roy said.

They walked through the halls until they reached the room on the third floor that held the spare uniforms and a tailor.

"Yes?" a woman in her forties asked them.

"We need a uniform for State Alchemist Edward Elric."

"Oh! That must be you, young man! Come right this way, Sir!" she led Fullmetal over to a small stool. "If you would be as kind as to remove your outer clothing?"

The kid looked uncomfortable, but did as he was told, dressing down to his boxers. Roy felt uncomfortable when he saw the large scars around his automail. The kid must have been through hell when getting them.

The woman motioned for him to stand up on the stool, then she found a measuring tape and set to work. She left them alone to go looking for a uniform in the storage area.

"Do you want me to leave?" Roy asked, noticing how awkward the kid was looking. Roy would usually have made fun of him, but right now, all he really wanted was to punch General Schiff.

"No. I haven't done this before, usually I just transmute my clothes from pieces of cloth, you know?"

Roy just nodded.

He watched as the woman returned with a uniform that was too large for the kid. He looked wrong. Edward Elric was never really meant to look like a real soldier.

The tailor began pulling the fabric into folds and placed needles and pins into the fabric so that it would fit.

"How does that feel?" she asked him. "Anything too tight?"

"Nah, it's fine."

"Good, then I'll get this ready for you soon and-"

Roy watched as the kid just clapped his hands and brought them to the uniform, and in a flash of blue lightning, the extra cloth and all the needles and pins fell to the ground, leaving him in a perfectly fitted uniform.

"Or you could just do that, I suppose…"

"Can we just get the coat done now?" Fullmetal said, obviously getting angry with all the fussing and would just like to get out of the uniform as soon as possible.

"Y-yes, Sir."

After another thirty minutes, Roy was walking through the halls along with Fullmetal who was carrying his new uniform over his right arm and his military-issued black boots in his left hand.

"Colonel?"

"Yes?"

"Promise me that when I get back to your team, you'll torch this damn thing." He held up his new uniform.

"That's a deal."

Roy would honestly have liked nothing more than to burn it right now. That uniform represented everything that Roy had been trying to shield the kid from for the last two years.

They returned to the office and got many curious looks that turned horrified as they realised what Fullmetal was carrying.

"Brother! He's making you wear a uniform?" Al said with a scared voice.

"Yeah. Listen, Al, he's not letting you join me at work," he said, walking over to his brother.

"What?! But Brother, he can't just split us up like that!"

"That's the problem, he can."

"But-"

"You can join us, right?" Havoc said. "You're a member of our team after all!"

Roy felt proud that Havoc had so quickly jumped at the thought.

"Yeah!" Breda chipped in.

"I can?" Alphonse said.

"Of course! Right, Boss?" Havoc said.

"Yes," Roy said simply. "I've also told Fullmetal that he can join us for lunch."

"Great!"

The rest of the day was an odd one. Everyone tried to keep their spirits up as much as possible, but it felt like they had been delivered the news that the kid was dying instead of being reassigned. But in truth, Schiff would most likely be trying to kill the kid's spirit, so it wasn't that far off.

When Roy got home, he hung his coat up and sat down on the couch in his living room.

He sighed heavily.

The phone rang and he walked out into the hallway and picked up the receiver.

"Hi, Roy! You're not going to believe what Elicia just did!"

"Hughes, I'm not in the mood."

"What's wrong?" Hughes' tone turned to concerned in a flash.

"Fullmetal's been reassigned."

"What?! To who?"

"Major General Schiff."

"I'm sorry, Roy."

"But we're getting him back. I've promised him that."

"Yeah, you'd better do that, Roy. That kid's lost too much of his childhood already. What are you going to do about his brother? I don't see General Schiff letting him come to the office ."

"He's going to stay with us during office hours. Fullmetal will join us for lunch."

"That's good, I guess." Hughes sighed. "Listen, Roy, if there's anything you need…"

"I'll call you. For now I just want to go to sleep. It's been a long day."

"Okay, Roy. Good night."

"Good night, Hughes."


	2. Chapter 2

**Thank you so much to the people who have already reviewed, favourited and followed!**

**Disclaimer: I do not own Fullmetal Alchemist.**

* * *

**Chapter** **Two**

Ed was angry. Last night he had flipped over most of the objects in his hotel room. Al had been fixing them for him afterwards.

Ed hated this. When Mustang wasn't there, Ed would hardly be allowed to look for the Philosopher's Stone. What was the point in staying in the military at all?

_Don't think like that. The Colonel's gonna get you out and then you'll be back to looking for the Stone. You can't just lose all the resources._

He pulled on his damn uniform trousers. The blue was only depressing. When he had fastened his jacket, he punched the bathroom mirror in front of him and it shattered. Ed just clapped his hands and then repaired it.

He went out of the bathroom and met Al who was looking at him.

"Brother?"

"It's nothing, Al, let's just get going."

"Oh, okay, Brother."

They walked in silence over to HQ, walking towards the now old office. When they got inside, even though they were early, everyone was already there.

"Hi," Ed said, feeling odd wearing his new uniform. "I was just going to see if I had forgotten something here."

The others nodded. Ed searched, but didn't find anything. He was on his way over to the door, when he found it blocked by the rest of the team. Hawkeye was standing in the middle of the group, a gift held in her hands. "It's a going away present from all of us. Just something to remind you of your family."

Ed took it, ripping off the neat red wrapping, and found a framed picture of the whole gang, smiling. There was Mustang, Hawkeye, Havoc, Breda, Falman and Fuery. They had also put a picture of himself and Al in each of the lower corners.

Ed smiled sadly, touched by the whole thing. Even though it reminded him of what he was losing, it was still great. "Thanks."

"We thought you could have it on your desk," Fuery said.

"I will." He looked at the clock on the wall, it said 07.55. "I guess I have to go."

He said goodbye to each of them, getting a man-hug from Havoc, Breda, Falman and Fuery. He then shook hands with Hawkeye. When he reached the Colonel, the man looked confused about what he was supposed to do. He eyed Ed's outstretched hand, then reached for it. He stopped however, and pulled him into a quick one-armed hug. "Take care, Edward."

"I will."

"And you'd better turn up here for lunch."

Ed gave him a two-fingered salute. "Yes, Sir."

Then he left the office.

Walking through the halls, he decided upon one thing. He was going to give General Schiff hell for this. He was Edward Elric, nobody was going to separate him from his brother and his team without coming to regret it within a week. And so he kicked open the double doors leading into his new office, determined to let these bastards know that you don't push the Fullmetal Alchemist around. He wasn't going to do something so bad that it would earn him a court-martial, but he was certainly not going to let Schiff have it easy.

"Elric! You will not kick open the door!" Schiff said.

"Why not, Sir? It's not like it's hurting anyone?" Ed said in his most innocent tone.

"Don't push me, Elric."

"I'm not pushing you, I'm standing right here, we're about five metres apart, Sir."

"Elric, my office, now."

Ed followed him.

Schiff stood behind his desk, finding a long cane. It had a long, thin razor-like blade in the middle that stuck out about five millimetres from the cane.

"Your right hand is automail, yes?"

"Yes, Sir."

"Then remove your left glove and place your left hand upon the desk, palm up."

Not seeing how to turn the man's words back on him to further irritate him, Ed did as he was told.

Schiff moved to the side of the desk, then he slammed the cane down on Ed's palm.

Ed didn't say anything. He wasn't going to let him have the pleasure.

SMACK

Ed still didn't respond although it hurt like hell. His hand was already bleeding a lot.

SMACK

Schiff moved the cane half a centimetre up towards his fingers each time.

SMACK

Ed couldn't fight the wince, but he still didn't say anything.

SMACK

Blood spattered the desk around his hand.

SMACK

Ed was biting his lips hard to fight the urge to shout out.

SMACK

A small yelp escaped his lips.

SMACK

Another yelp.

SMACK

God it hurts!

SMACK

Ed grunted with pain.

He waited for another blow, but it didn't come. Blood was pouring from Ed's hand and it stung and throbbed like hell.

"Like I told you, Elric, I do not take kindly to insubordinance. Let this be a lesson. You are not to cover up that hand until the doctor does, is that understood?"

"Yes, Sir," Ed growled.

"Good, you are dismissed."

Ed found his way to the infirmary, gripping the wrist of his throbbing hand. It dripped blood all over the place.

He got to the infirmary and met a doctor he'd had to see a few times over the last two years.

"Oh, hi Ed, what's it this time?" The guy was in his mid-thirties and had a rather sharp mind. Everyone who knew him just called him "Doc". He saw Ed's hand, and his eyebrows shot up. He leapt out of the chair he was sitting on, grabbing a huge compress as he went. He pressed it against Ed's hand. He gave a pained yelp as it came in contact with his abused skin.

"What the hell, Ed?! Why haven't you put some pressure on this?"

"I wasn't allowed to."

"Who ordered that?! Colonel Mustang would never do this!" Doc was shocked.

"I got reassigned."

"What?!"

"Let's just say that me and General Schiff don't get along…"

"Of course this would be him!" Doc said, an angry tone in his voice. "Well, come here, we need to bandage this."

* * *

Roy had felt odd just watching Fullmetal go like that. He didn't like it, not one bit. He needed some air, so when Hawkeye said that she would go to gather some documents, Roy had told her that he would do it. The way through the halls had taken him past Schiff's office. When he saw the blood drops that led away from the double doors, his heart sank.

He began following the trail that led to the infirmary.

_It has to be Fullmetal! Who else manages to piss the man off to this level within ten past eight?_

And so Roy quickly went to the infirmary, knocking twice on the door before walking straight into the room.

His suspicions had been correct. The kid that was sitting there, the blood from his palm soaking through the compress that the doctor was pressing against it.

"Fullmetal! What happened?"

"I kicked the door open and teased him, twice." He was looking like a kid that had been caught with his hand in the cookie jar.

"I thought I told you to not to provoke him!"

"Screw him! I'm not just going to do what he says!"

Roy pressed the fingers of right hand against the root of his nose, groaning. "Fullmetal, please just don't do this to yourself. You won't achieve anything by doing stuff like that right now. All you're doing is making him reach the point where he will punish you just for talking."

"I'm not going to let him break me! I'm not going to just let him use me as a tool! He's a bastard and we all know it!"

"Yes, but sometimes you're going to have to act as though some people are worth more than you just because of rank, otherwise you'll end up in front of a court-martial. Please, if you don't care about yourself, at least think of your brother. You're just going to worry him if you act like this."

The kid looked down at his feet, his fist clenched in anger.

Roy was getting worried by the amount of blood that was coming from his hand. "How many times did he hit you?"

"Ten."

Roy knew about the dreaded cane that the General used, but he had to say that ten was pushing it, even for him. Especially against a kid. After all, he had a much smaller hand than the usual soldier and so the damage would be worse. Which made a sudden fear creep into him. The man did not take Fullmetal's size into consideration and was treating him like an average grown soldier.

Roy had to keep himself from storming into the General's office and give him a piece of his mind.

He watched as Fullmetal's hand was being wrapped in generous layers of bandages in order to stop the bleeding.

"I have to say I agree with the Colonel, Ed. That bastard had no right to do this, but you still have to obey his orders. Please make sure that you don't have to come in here again this month?" The doctor said.

Roy was happy to hear that the doctor was as displeased with Schiff as Roy was. That meant that if Fullmetal managed to get himself into more trouble, at least he would get proper treatment and probably a way to vent his anger.

Roy followed the kid back to his office and then went to find the papers that he had gone looking for quite a while ago. When he came back to the office an hour later than he should, the first thing that met him was a shot at his feet. Roy jumped.

"Where the hell have you been, Colonel?!" Hawkeye demanded angrily.

"I've been to see Fullmetal."

"Why? Is Brother okay?" Alphonse asked with a scared tone in his voice.

Roy didn't see any point in lying to the kid. He would find out anyway. "Fullmetal kicked the office door open and teased General Schiff, and the man didn't take too kindly to it. He pulled out the cane and beat him across the palm ten times."

"He did? But why did you take so long?"

"General Schiff is known for using a special kind of cane that has a thin blade across the middle. It makes a cut each time it hits the skin. I found him because of the blood trail that he left on the way to the infirmary. General Schiff rarely lets the soldiers put pressure on the wounds that he inflicts. I tried talking to your brother and give him some advice about the General."

"Is General Schiff even allowed to do that?! How is Brother doing?!"

"Your brother will be fine once his skin has healed. In the meantime, I think you're going to have to help him change the bandages."

"Of course! But Colonel, how could he just do that!?"

"General Schiff has a lot of power, and I don't think he's using it in the correct way. I'm sorry I couldn't help Fullmetal more, but if it happens again, I'll talk to General Grumman to see what he can do."

And so they went back to work, although they were mostly just focused on the cruel punishment that Fullmetal had received.

It was a relief the moment the boy opened the door, although Roy would rather have seen him kick it open as usual. His hand wouldn't fit inside its glove, not even close, and so he looked slightly odd with just one gloved hand.

"Brother! How's your hand?!" Alphonse immediately rushed over to the kid, gripping his wrist gently to study his mutilated hand.

Fullmetal nearly managed to hide the wince as his brother moved his hand.

"Oh! I'm sorry, I didn't mean to hurt you!"

"It's okay, Al. It's just a few cuts."

Roy would like to argue that it was substantially more than that, but he wasn't going to frighten Al more than he already had.

Lunch was otherwise quite enjoyable, but it still didn't seem quite right as long as Fullmetal was wearing a uniform. He was supposed to wear the weird clothes and red coat. He was just glad that at least the kid hadn't been ordered to cut his plait. After knowing Edward Elric for two years, Roy would see it as nothing more than sacrilege.

Fullmetal had to return to his office all too soon, and so Roy couldn't help but feel that the office was missing something crucial.

* * *

At four o'clock that afternoon he received a phone call from the doctor.

"What's wrong?" Roy was seriously worried.

"I thought I should just tell you. I've received a phone call from General Schiff. He told me to have a bed ready tomorrow. Ed's getting flogged at nine in the morning."


	3. Chapter 3

**Here we go, chapter three. **

**And thank you so much to the readers, favouriters, followers and reviewers!**

**Disclaimer: I do not own Fullmetal Alchemist.**

**Oh, and I did some research on flogging for this chapter and I decided upon going with the cat o' nine tails because I thought it would fit Schiff better.**

**The actual flogging doesn't come until next chapter, though, so I'm giving Ed a bit of a break in this one.**

* * *

**Chapter Three**

Roy hung up the phone after thanking the doctor for telling him.

He cursed.

"Sir?" Hawkeye asked.

"Fullmetal will be receiving a flogging at nine tomorrow morning."

If there was one practice that Roy despised, it was flogging. Knowing Schiff, it would probably be the cat as well. Roy couldn't understand how the man thought it would be okay to use it against a kid.

Hawkeye had frozen.

"I'm going to talk to Fullmetal."

"Yes, Sir."

Roy waited until half past four, when Al gently knocked on the door. Hawkeye opened it for him.

"Uh, Colonel? We'll be leaving now, thanks for having me today."

"No problem, Al. Tell your brother to wait, I'll give you a lift."

"Really? But Colonel, there's no need really."

"I insist."

"Oh, okay. Thank you, Sir."

Roy stood up and threw on his coat. "Good night, Lieutenant."

"Good night, Sir."

Roy went out of the inner office and found the two boys waiting for him. Fullmetal wasn't even looking at his face. They walked in silence to the car. "Fullmetal, you sit in the front with me," Roy said as the young boy tried to seat himself in the back.

None of them made any sort of conversation for the ten-minute drive. Alphonse politely thanked him for the ride when they arrived outside their hotel, but when Fullmetal moved for the door, Roy held him back by his right arm.

"Just a minute, we need to talk. You go ahead, Al."

"Oh, okay. Good night, Colonel."

"Good night, Al."

"So, what is it?" Fullmetal demanded.

"You're getting flogged."

The kid shrunk a bit in his seat. "Yeah."

"How many?"

"Forty."

Roy felt his stomach clench. No way in hell was the kid going to go through that, Roy would make sure.

"What the hell did you do?!"

"I hit him."

"You what?!"

"He called me and Al a pair of freaks that not even a parent could love because we're such failures. I didn't think, okay?"

Roy swore inwardly. The General was just saying that to hurt him. The problem was that that sort of thing would just have been annoying usually, but with the Elrics, those insults would hit closer to home. And Roy had a nagging feeling that if Schiff hadn't included Al in his description, Ed wouldn't have snapped.

"Listen, I'm going to talk to General Grumman. At least he's going be able reduce the number of lashes. Did Schiff say what sort of whip?"

"Cat o' nine tails."

"You know what that is?"

"No."

Roy thought that it would be better for the kid to be prepared at least. He sighed deeply. "It's a whip that's got nine knotted whipcords. It's also just called the cat. It makes parallel lacerations that kind of look like claw marks, hence the name. I'm not going to lie to you, it's going to hurt like hell."

"How's it going to work?" the kid said, some fright reaching his eyes.

"You'll be tied by the hands to a so-called "triangle", which is a tripod of wooden beams. You'll be bare-chested and they're only going to hit your back. When it's done you'll be let down and taken to the infirmary."

Roy felt his stomach clench at the thought of that small body suspended to be whipped. A large part of him just wanted to tell the kid to resign. But he knew it wouldn't work because Edward would be willing to go through hell to get his brother's body back. And Roy honestly didn't see any possibility of them reaching their goal without the military resources and funding.

"How long does it take?"

"Maximum ten minutes if we can get the count down."

The kid seemed to regain some heart at that. "Then I'm going to show that bastard. I've gone through automail surgery. This should be a walk in the park, then."

Roy supposed he was right. He hadn't thought about it, but the kid actually had a point. He was strong. Much stronger than most soldiers that Roy knew.

_I still want to torch General Schiff, though…_

"Colonel?"

"Yes?"

"Please make sure that Al stays in the office. I don't want him to watch."

"Of course. I'll make sure he stays behind with Hawkeye."

"So you're coming?" The kid looked surprised.

"I'm not going to leave you alone in that situation."

"Thanks," Fullmetal said in a low voice.

"Listen, I'll pick you up here tomorrow morning. Do you have to go to the office first?"

"No. He just told me to meet in the grounds fifteen minutes before."

"Okay, then I'll pick you up here twenty minutes before that. That way we can be sure to get Al out of the way. And speaking of Alphonse. You need to tell him."

"I don't really want to."

"Edward, I doubt you'll be let out of the infirmary for at least two days. He's going to find out."

"Fine."

"Good. Is there anything else you want to know?"

There were a few moments of silence.

"Have you ever been flogged?"

Roy paused for a second. "In fact I have."

"Really? What did you do?"

"Shortly after I joined up, Schiff caught me snogging his wife." Roy couldn't stop the faint blush reaching his cheeks.

"What?!"

"In my defence, Henrietta is much too young for him and she's only a year older than me!"

"You remember her name?"

"I'm telling you, she had some great thighs. You don't forget them."

"Thighs?"

"She always wore miniskirts. She even got a nickname because if those thighs."

"Oh, what's that?"

"Henrietta Hopsalot."

After all the tension that had been oppressing them for the last twenty minutes, they suddenly burst out laughing simultaneously.

"You're not serious, are you?"

"Deadly."

"Who came up with that?"

"Me. It caught on quickly."

"No wonder the General doesn't like me. You're screwing things up for me!" He didn't sound accusative though, he was just grinning.

"The fact that she still sends me letters may have something to do with that."

"You really are a womanising bastard, you know that, right?"

Roy was just glad that they were back to the old name-calling. Roy had to say that he would rather be a bastard than a superior in this kid's eyes.

"If it helps, I don't answer them, though."

They burst out laughing again. The kid laughed so hard that he tilted sideways, his head leaning against Roy's thigh. They had been filled with tension for the last thirty-two hours. Just letting go of it like this felt great.

"Thanks, Colonel, I needed that!" the kid wheezed.

"I think we both did."

Edward suddenly seemed to realise that he was using Roy's thigh as a pillow, and quickly sat up. "Oh, sorry."

The air around them was suddenly permeated with awkwardness.

"Listen, kid, it will be alright. I'll call you later when I've talked to General Grumman. And I'm going to make you one other promise too."

"What's that?"

"We're going to sneak into the infirmary tomorrow and have Xingese for dinner, how does that sound?"

The kid scoffed. "Sounds great." He turned to him with a little smile. "Thanks, Colonel, I needed this right now."

"Anytime."

* * *

Roy called to General Grumman once he got home. The old man was outraged, but saw that Schiff did have some grounds as the kid had hit him. Twenty minutes later he called back, telling Roy that the sentence had been reduced to twenty. It was a major improvement, but it was still a lot.

Roy kept true to his promise and phoned the hotel that the Elrics were staying at. After a while the kid came to the phone. "Colonel? How did it go?"

"General Grumman's reduced it to twenty strokes."

"Oh. Thanks, Colonel."

"See you tomorrow, I'll start calling the rest of the team about the Xingese take away."

"Great. See you tomorrow."

Roy then phoned Hawkeye.

"Hello, Lieutenant? Will you do me two favours tomorrow?"

"Yes, Sir. What are they?"

"First, I want you to keep Alphonse company in the office and keep him away during the flogging. Secondly, we're sneaking into the infirmary with Xingese take away for dinner."

"Of course, Sir. I'll see you tomorrow. I guess you want me to bring your paperwork to the infirmary?"

Roy groaned inwardly. "Thank you, Hawkeye, I would."

"Very well, Sir. Good night."

"Good night."

Then came Havoc.

"Hey, Havoc, how do you feel about Xingese tomorrow for dinner?"

"I'm sorry, Boss, but I'm going on a date…"

"Cancel it. We're sneaking into the infirmary."

"The infirmary?"

"Ed is getting flogged. We're going there to cheer him up."

"I'll tell Lydia."

Roy was glad to hear that Havoc immediately changed his mindset because of the kid.

"See you tomorrow, Havoc."

"See ya, Boss."

The next three phone calls went just as well, and the whole team was ready in a flash to be there for their two youngest members.

Roy felt like a very proud CO at that moment.

* * *

Ed couldn't help but feel like something had happened between him and the Colonel the moment he had been reassigned. He was being much more protective and considerate and Ed didn't really know what to think of it. He guessed the man was suddenly acting, not like a parent, but more of a semi-guardian he supposed. It was weird. What distance there had been between them had sort of disappeared because of the lack of him being his CO.

Parts of him were glad, he guessed, but the fact that he had actually been lying with his head in the Colonel's lap, made him feel a bit vulnerable. Ed had to admit that he had been very guarded against Mustang until now.

And Ed was sort of surprised by the fact that the rest of the team considered him and Al family just after two years. That too made him feel both vulnerable, but also slightly warm inside.

But most of all it made him realise that he wanted to get back to his team as soon as possible. They were at least some fun. Schiff's team could just be described with one word, and that was uniformity. They were boring, perfect soldiers that fucking saluted Ed when he tried to strike up a conversation.

And Ed swore to himself that he was never going to let that bastard of a General make him into one of them.

Never.

_I'd rather get flogged._


	4. Chapter 4

**Disclaimer: I do not own Fullmetal Alchemist.**

**And thank you so much to the reviewers, followers, favouriters and readers!**

* * *

**Chapter Four**

Roy wasn't looking forward to what would be coming in an hour. Still, he was dressed up in his uniform, and he was going to be there for Fullmetal. And so he walked out to his car.

He pulled up outside the hotel and soon saw the two Elrics walking out the front door. Roy was surprised, horrified and gratified that Fullmetal was wearing his usual red and black.

"No uniform today?" Roy asked.

"Nah. Schiff told me I shouldn't get blood on it. Considered wearing it just to spite him, but I'd rather look like myself again."

"I see." Roy had to say he was fighting against the nausea that came from the way the kid was talking about the blood.

They rode in silence for the rest of the time. When they were done escorting Alphonse to the office to stay with Hawkeye, and Fullmetal had once again reassured his brother that he would be fine, they left them with five minutes to go before the kid was supposed to show up.

They walked out into the grounds at the back of HQ, finding the triangle standing there, waiting. Roy didn't feel good about this, not at all. He felt guilty for leading the kid to this. It just wasn't right.

Roy put a hand on his shoulder, talking quietly to him. "Don't forget, whatever happens, however you react, no one's going to think any the worse of you, okay?"

The kid nodded, staring at the contraption and the ropes hanging down in the middle.

"Elric! Come here now!"

Roy turned his head to the right, watching as Schiff moved up on the platform where it was all going to take place. Roy felt a kind of fierce pride shoot through him that Fullmetal had obviously got in a good hit, judging by the man's black eye.

Roy followed him and they walked up together.

"Ah, of course you'd be here too, Colonel Mustang. I suppose it was you who talked with General Grumman?"

"And what if it was, Sir? Frankly, forty lashes are much for a man of my size. Taking into account that Fullmetal is a child and also that his automail restricts the available area, reducing the number of strokes is just common sense. Otherwise Fullmetal would probably have fainted from blood loss before it was done." Roy spoke coldly and professionally.

"That may be, but I don't like my subordinates to go crying to daddy Roy just because I treat them equally."

Roy's fists clenched at the thought of the man referring to Fullmetal as his own subordinate.

"Anyway, Elric, come with me."

Roy followed them over to the triangle, fighting the queasiness that it brought. It had hurt excruciatingly the time Roy himself had been standing there, and doing that to a fourteen-year-old kid, it was nothing but inhumane.

"Elric, remove your shirt and jacket."

The kid did as he was told, then he turned thoughtful for a few seconds, before he turned to Roy. "Hold on to these for me, will you, Colonel?"

Roy nodded and took the garments into his hands.

Roy watched as the child was led over to stand under the triangle. Watched as his hands were tied so that he couldn't escape and his feet were barely touching the ground because of his height. Roy cursed inwardly. It was going to hurt more when the skin was being stretched like that.

Roy didn't know where the next five minutes went, but suddenly he was standing on the ground in front of the platform, watching as Schiff picked up the cat and approached the kid.

Then came the first blow.

The kid didn't react to the nine, angry red marks appearing on his back.

Then came the second.

There was still no response.

The third one broke the skin, the fourth one sent large streams of blood down the kid's back. He grunted when the eighth one came. He yelped at the eleventh.

At the sixteenth he yelled.

At the twentieth he screamed.

Then it was done and two of Schiff's subordinates came over and let Fullmetal down. They carried the limp kid between them and Roy ran over to them.

"Hey! How are you doing?!" Roy said to the kid.

"You were right, Colonel, that hurt like hell," he wheezed, barely conscious.

Roy walked with them to the infirmary, trying not to notice the blood trail that they were leaving behind them.

They reached the infirmary and Roy watched as the doctor patched the kid up and gave him some strong painkillers.

Fullmetal was laid down on the bed on his stomach. Thankfully for him, he lost his last connections with consciousness the moment his head hit the pillow.

Roy was glad that it was done.

_Just don't do this to yourself again, kid._

"Colonel Mustang? Do you know why he got flogged?" the doctor asked him.

"General Schiff insulted his family and he snapped. He gave him a black eye."

"I see, that explains it. You should talk to him."

"I already did."

"That's good."

The doctor sighed. "Well, the best we can do for him right now is to let him rest. Do you think you'll be keeping him company for the next few days?"

"Yes. I'm also smuggling the rest of my team in around dinner time with Xingese take away. If you want to join us, you're free to do so."

Roy knew a little bit about the doctor from Fullmetal's constant visits, including that the man could be trusted to keep the take away a secret.

"You know what? I think I will take you up on that," he said with a smile.

"Good. How bad would you say his back is?"

"Honestly? It's going to be hell for the kid. He also lost a lot of blood. His back is going to need a lot of care to avoid infection. Ed's probably going to be in pain for the next three weeks and I'd like to keep him here for the next two days at least."

"How long would you say that he will have to wear the bandages?"

"About two weeks and I would prefer if they were changed on a daily basis, why do you ask?"

Roy couldn't really explain that to someone who didn't know about Alphonse, but they couldn't rely upon him to change the bandages because the kid had a pair of unfeeling giant hands.

"Just curious."

Roy made a decision that he would be offering the kid to live with him at least while his wounds needed daily treatment. Roy had far more experience in treating wounds than the rest of the team after the war in Ishbal, save Hawkeye, but there was no way the kid would be agreeing to that sort of living arrangement.

Also, Roy still felt responsible for the kid, and so he would take care of him.

"You're going to offer him a place to stay, aren't you." It wasn't a question.

Roy was surprised that the man had managed to guess his thoughts.

"What?"

"Ed's been in here plenty of times with that brother of his. It's clear from the movements that there's no one in there. I'm a physician after all, I notice that sort of thing."

Roy's eyebrows shot up.

"Don't worry, I'm not going to report it. The way I see it, it's filed under patient/doctor confidentiality."

Roy nodded at him.

"Besides, all I care about is really just that Ed receives treatment that is done by someone who can actually feel their fingers while applying the bandages."

"Aren't you curious?"

"Just a bit, but it's not my business. I can tell that those boys went through hell, and I have a feeling that they are trying to make things right again. I don't really need more than that."

Roy was impressed by the man's way of thinking. He gave him a little smirk.

"I hope you're trying to get Ed back, though. I'd rather not have him under Schiff's command."

"I am, we just need to figure out how we're going to do it. In the meantime I'm trying to keep him safe."

"You do that. Schiff is a bastard. He's sent me plenty of people with hands like Ed's and I have to say that I think that that man should be demoted for the way he treats his subordinates."

"You and me both."

* * *

It was about three o'clock that the kid woke up. The first thing he did was move, which caused him to groan with pain.

"Hey, take it easy, you got flogged, remember?"

"Well, I do now." He relaxed slightly on the bed again.

"You did good today."

"I did, huh?"

"And your lack of response in the beginning clearly pissed General Schiff off, so that's a plus for you, isn't it?" Roy didn't want to say it to the kid, but to hardly make a noise during the first ten strokes from General Schiff was probably some kind of record.

"What time is it?"

"Three o'clock."

"Where's Al?"

"I asked Hawkeye to keep him away, I figured you didn't really want him to see you like this. Besides, you have been asleep until now."

"Yeah, thanks."

"Listen, you're going to need help with keeping your back free from infection. Those bandages have to be changed daily for two weeks."

"Oh."

"You and Al can stay with me until you're well again."

"WHAT?!"

"You need someone to look after you, Fullmetal."

"Yeah, but **you**?"

"Unless you want to stay with Hawkeye?"

The kid shuddered then gave a little whimper because of his back.

"Isn't there anyone else?"

"It's better if you stay with someone who has experience with this sort of thing, and that's only me and Hawkeye."

"Oh, but still…"

"I could of course ask her to just convince you?"

"NO! Fine, we'll stay with you. But only for two weeks!"

It was three hours later that the rest of the team came into the infirmary laden with boxes of tantalising scents.

Roy helped Fullmetal sit up on his bed. If there was one thing Roy hated about the cat it was the way that it was made to cause its victims extreme amounts of pain after the flogging as well.

Throughout the whole evening, Roy could only think about how he would be bringing the two brothers home with him in just two days. What the hell had he agreed to? He would have to look after an impulsive, short-tempered teenager for fourteen days.

He needed to get Fullmetal back on his team soon, he couldn't wait for his life to return to normalcy.


	5. Chapter 5

**Thank you so much to all the readers, followers, favouriters and reviewers!**

**Disclaimer: I do not own Fullmetal Alchemist.**

* * *

**Chapter** **Five**

Ed was angry, in pain and embarrassed all because of one man. He fucking hated General Schiff.

He was lying on his bed in the infirmary for the third day in a row.

General Schiff had come visiting yesterday, and Ed had to say that he felt like strangling the man.

_"Hello, Elric."_

_"Sir."_

_"I'm just here to say that I expect you back at your desk in two days."_

_"Sir! May I say that as a doctor I would highly recommend that Major Elric stays in bed for the next week at least!"_

_"If it is only a recommendation, it cannot be that important. This is punishment, after all. You're going to be back at the office at eight o'clock sharp on Monday, no excuses."_

_When Ed didn't answer, Schiff moved forward and slapped his back, earning a yelp of pain._

_"How many times do I have to remind you to say "Yes, Sir" when I give you an order, Elric!"_

_"Sorry, Sir," Ed said through gritted teeth._

_"That's better. Two days, Elric!"_

_"Yes, Sir."_

And now he would be living with Mustang for two weeks, being helped like a fucking child probably.

So, no, not a good day at all.

And speaking of Mustang, he'd been keeping Ed company now for two days along with Al. Ed didn't really know what to think of it. It was kind of like the man was keeping guard over Ed while he was here, and it made Ed very much more aware of how weak he actually was when he was under another officer's command. With the Colonel he'd been allowed to go where he liked as long as he delivered his reports afterwards. He was sent on missions that actually had something to do with the Stone. He got to use his skills to fight and actually do something worthwhile.

Schiff had only seemed to want him to do paperwork to crush his will.

_Dammit! I'm the "Hero of the People"! That means that I act to help those who **need** it rather than that stuck-up bastard who just wants a promotion!_

"What the hell does that bastard want with me?!" Ed said out loud.

"Brother? Who are you talking about?"

"**Schiff**! Why did he want me on his team? I was actually helping to give the military a more positive reputation!"

"I don't know, Brother. I think he might be thinking too militaristic you know. You are a prodigy after all. I think he wants to make you into a human weapon."

Ed felt his stomach clench at the thought.

"No way in hell am I going to war under that bastard's command! I'm not going to kill anyone! Especially for that man!"

"Good, Brother," Al said quietly. "You're not a killer."

_Although I'm the reason that Mom died a second time…_

"Good news, Ed! I'm letting you leave this afternoon, but don't you dare over-exert yourself!" Doc told him sternly.

"I wasn't thinking about doing that."

"And remember that you shouldn't do any heavy lifting, or generally do anything that puts a strain on your back. That will only break the skin again and so it will take even longer to heal. That includes washing your hair and putting on your uniform jacket."

"So I'm basically an invalid for two weeks?" Ed moaned.

"Close enough. I know you're not one for letting people help, but you really should in this case."

"Argh, fine."

* * *

Roy was pretending not to listen to the ongoing conversation, but anything was better than reading and signing these approval forms.

Roy had to say that he hadn't really thought about how much he was going to have to help Fullmetal out. This was going to be much more work than he had originally planned.

And Roy had a nagging feeling that there would be more injuries that would need to be treated during the next two weeks, seeing as how the kid wouldn't let Schiff push him around.

This wasn't possibly going to go well.

**_But you do what you can for your team._**

And so came 16.30 in the afternoon, and Fullmetal was allowed to leave. Roy helped him sit up and put his red coat on, dropping the tank top because it would just cause the kid unnecessary pain to put it on. They walked through the halls, the kid wincing slightly now and then because even just regular walking caused him pain.

Roy wasn't surprised, though. The kid's back was much smaller than the average soldier, and so the whip had only been concentrated on two areas instead of four or more. Just moving his hips would stretch the mutilated skin and cause him significant amounts of pain.

Roy had sort of blocked out his feelings as he had been watching, but in hindsight, he could still remember the soldier behind him laughing and telling his buddy that "the snot-nosed brat deserved it". He had also heard a lot of gasps and a few female soldiers shouting for him to be let down. Mostly, though, it seemed as if the soldiers accepted the fact that the man was torturing a child.

That was not a military that Roy wanted to be part of.

The military needed to be changed so that people like Schiff lost their undeserved power. The man had risen through the ranks because of the way he had taught his soldiers to be mindless pawns in his sick power struggle. To the higher ups he looked like a man who could be trusted to lead, but in reality he just beat his subordinates into submission. That was not how it should be.

_And I'm going to burn him to a crisp if he ever succeeds in doing that to Fullmetal._

They reached the car and the kid gingerly sat down, groaning as his abused back leaned against the seat.

_Or I might just burn him anyway._

"You ready?" Roy asked him.

"Yeah, just drive," the kid said through gritted teeth.

And so Roy did. They stopped at a grocery store, however, and Roy pulled out a piece of paper and a pencil. "Okay, we need to find out what I'm going to buy for the next few days. What do you like to eat, Fullmetal?"

"Seriously?" The kid was looking curiously up at him.

Roy sighed. "Unless you want me to make food that we don't know if you'll like or not, I suggest you tell me."

"Do you know how to make stew?"

"Yes." Roy wrote down the ingredients. "What else?"

"Well, I enjoy pasta, I suppose."

"Anything else?"

"I'm not that particular, but I won't drink milk."

"But it's fine in stew?"

"Yeah, because then it doesn't taste like cow puke."

"Cow puke? You have lots of experience with that?" Roy couldn't help but tease him for the childish reply.

"No, of course I don't! I'm just not gonna drink some opaque white liquid that was secreted by a cow!"

"Maybe that's why you're so small, you know…"

"SHUT UP! I'M NOT LITTLE! DON'T CALL ME GAAAH!"

The kid stopped in the middle of his tantrum, his back obviously protesting the movement agonisingly.

Roy felt bad about provoking him like that, he should have thought about that before he said anything.

"Is there anything else you want? What do you like to drink?"

"Orange juice."

"Fine, then I'll add that. I'll be back in ten minutes."

Then Roy went out of the car and into the store. He hadn't been in this one before. He usually went to one that was closer to where he lived, but he knew everyone who worked there, and he figured that it would be a good idea that people didn't start asking questions about why he was suddenly cooking for more than one. It could lead to quite dangerous situations seeing as how both him and Fullmetal had made plenty of enemies over the years, and having the kid at his house instead of a military hotel, could mean that certain people would use the opportunity to attack them. Especially if word got out that Fullmetal was injured.

Finding his way around the store was hard, but he somehow managed to find all the things that they would need for the next few days. It felt odd to be buying food for someone other than himself. When he went on dates, he usually didn't invite them back to his own place.

_Who knows, maybe it will be nice to have some company for the next few weeks…_

He went outside with his grocery bags and put them in the trunk. Slamming the lid down, he heaved a great sigh.

"Here we go, I guess. It's time for me to be Roy Mustang, family man," he said to himself, trying to mentally prepare himself for living with two teenage boys.

It was sort of funny, though. One of the boys needed practically no help, but would rather have a body that did, while the other would need plenty of assistance and was going to hate every minute of it.

Roy had of course also compensated for the extreme amounts of food that went into the little body, so he would basically be cooking for three for the next two weeks. He had considered asking the kid to pay for his share of the food, but Roy didn't feel that that would be right. It wasn't the kid's fault that he had a CO who was a complete bastard, and besides, Roy knew that most of the money Fullmetal earned, was used to keep his automail in a good enough condition.

"So, how's your house? Do you have a couch or a camp bed or something?" Fullmetal asked after driving for fifteen minutes in silence.

"You'll be taking the guest room."

"Oh, so your house is that big?"

"It's not small, no. It's got three storeys including a basement. I've also got a small library, so I guess you'll be spending some time there."

"Any books on alchemy?"

"Most of them are. Some of them are pretty old, though, so be careful while reading them."

"Sure. How far is it?" Roy noticed that the kid was wincing frequently and would probably like to get out of the car as soon as possible.

"It's just around the corner here."

They came to the blue house and Roy parked the car in the garage.

"So, here we are."


	6. Chapter 6

**Here we go, chapter six!**

**Thank you so much to all the followers, favouriters, readers and reviewers!**

**Disclaimer: I do not own Fullmetal Alchemist.**

* * *

**Chapter Six**

They got inside and Ed wasn't really sure what he had expected the house to be like. He had to say that the house seemed kind of sad, he guessed. There weren't any pictures lining the dark blue walls. All in all it looked kind of empty. As if it was waiting for someone to move in and claim the house for their own.

"How long have you lived here?" Ed found himself asking.

"For about five years, why do you ask?"

"It hardly looks like someone lives here."

"Well, it's got all we need, so make yourselves at home. The guest bedroom is upstairs, first door on the left."

"And where's the library?"

"In the cellar. I'll show you."

Ed followed the man over to a door in the middle of the hallway. Mustang opened up the door and flicked a switch. "Just be careful with the stairs and do not pick up my research journals, although I highly doubt that you'll be able to understand what they say anyway. So basically, everything from the bookshelves are fine, anything else is off limits. Understand?"

"Yes."

"Good, I'll begin preparing dinner."

Ed went gingerly down the staircase, before he came upon a large number of bookshelves. They were stacked with volumes upon volumes of alchemy tomes. Ed picked up a random one just to have a place to start. Then he lay himself down on his stomach on the couch, reading about 150 pages when someone suddenly gripped his right ankle, startling Ed something badly, which resulted in his back aching like hell.

"Dinner," Mustang said.

"Dammit, Colonel!"

"You know, I've been standing here for at least a minute, calling your name. You didn't hear me and I want to eat while the food is still hot."

"You got a bookmark somewhere?"

The man sighed and moved away while Ed carefully sat himself up, cringing with the pain from his back. Fifteen seconds later Ed was handed a bookmark which he placed inside the book and then closed it.

Mustang eyed the book curiously.

"What?" Ed asked, annoyed.

"How many pages did you read?"

"About a-hundred-and-fifty."

"You read a-hundred-and-fifty pages in thirty minutes?"

"Guess so."

"You really are a prodigy, aren't you?" Mustang said with a sigh.

"Yup. But now: dinner."

And so Ed led the way up the stairs and followed his nose until he was inside the kitchen.

Looking around, Ed realised one thing. "Where's Al?"

"He said he wanted to take a walk to get to know the area."

"Oh."

Mustang placed a bowl in front of him, filled to the brim with stew. Ed had to say that even though Mom's would always be the best, it seemed that Roy Mustang was able to make a quite good one too. Ed ate with gusto, swallowing the stew in great gulps.

"I'll get you some more," Mustang said, filling his bowl again. "I suppose this means that you appreciate my cooking?"

"Don't get too full of yourself quite yet. It's only one meal after all."

"So good to feel appreciated," Mustang said sarcastically.

"So how are things gonna work with redressing my back and stuff?"

"We'll keep the doctor's schedule and change them in the mornings before we go to work. I suggest that to save some time that you shower in the evenings."

"I always do that. It takes a lot of time to dry off the automail."

"Right. I guess that you're going to need help with that too?"

Ed groaned. "Guess so," he mumbled. "But I shower and put on my boxers myself!" he suddenly added after a moment of horrifying mental images.

Mustang blinked twice, obviously just as horrified. "Believe me, I have no trouble with that."

"Good."

"Good indeed."

They shivered simultaneously.

"So, where's the bathroom?" Ed asked when he was done eating.

"Upstairs, second door on the right. Shout when you need help."

"You make me sound like a fucking kid, you know."

"I must be allowed to have some fun, now, don't I?"

"Smug bastard."

"As always."

Ed grunted and then headed upstairs.

He sat down in the tub, cringing as his back brushed against the side of the tub. When he was done gingerly washing himself, he got out and bit his lip as he pulled on his boxers. "ALRIGHT, COLONEL!"

Ed just wanted to crawl into a hole in the ground somewhere and forget that he ever had to do this.

_Damn you, Schiff!_

The man came in, surveying him slightly. "So do we wash your hair or dry off the automail first?"

"Automail first, better not let it rust."

"Alright." Mustang grabbed a clean towel and began drying the rest of him first before directing Ed to sit down on the lid of the toilet.

This felt freaking weird. He hadn't had anyone drying him off ever since Mom died. That's nine years ago now.

"So, how do I dry this thing?" Mustang said, kneeling down in front of his leg.

"Basically just make sure that every visible part of it gets dried completely."

And so he set to work and Ed had to say that if someone attacked him with a hammer and gave him amnesia, he would be happy indeed. He was familiar with the bastard Colonel. He had known him for two years now, but Roy Mustang outside the office? He had no idea how to act around him. Especially when he was looking after Ed as though he was a child.

_Is that what I've been reduced to by this?_

Then Ed began laughing loudly.

"What's so funny?"

"I think Schiff's failing pretty miserably. He's trying to harden me into a soldier, but instead he's making me into a fucking child that needs help to dry off his automail! I don't really think he was counting on you looking after your team despite me not officially being on it!"

"So this is fighting the system, is that what you're saying?"

"Yeah. But what he doesn't seem to get is that I'm not a child and I'm not a soldier, and I'm most definitely not his fucking subordinate! I'm Edward Elric, and all I am is Al's big brother! And so he won't break me, because I'm not in this for me in the first place! He can give me hell, but he can't touch Al, which makes me fucking invincible!"

Ed could have sworn that Mustang smiled for a brief moment.

"Keep thinking that way, but please don't give Schiff any more shiners. You don't need him to torture you more than necessary."

"But you have to say that it fit him, don't you?"

"Honestly, yes, but that's not the point. Don't let him provoke you. He's going to continue punishing you until he gets you to follow him out of fear."

"As if I'd ever fear that bastard!"

"That's the problem right there. Because he won't be able to break you, he will try to make your life hell until you do as you're told. You don't need that."

"Colonel, I almost lost it after a fucking day in that office. I need something to hold on to if I'm supposed to actually stay in there." Ed had spoken without thinking. he did not want to seem weak in front of the Colonel, but he also wanted him to stop telling him to behave.

"What's the problem?" Mustang sounded concerned.

"The rest of the team, they scare me, I guess. They will hardly talk, and when they do it's only to discuss tasks or whatever. They salute me because I have a higher rank than them. They're so stiff I almost think they'll break each time they stand up from their desks. They're fucking mindless dolls!"

"It can't be that bad?"

"Trust me, Colonel, it is. There's more life in a funeral home. And he wants me to do paperwork. When he hit my hand so that I couldn't write he found me a fucking typewriter. Being insubordinate is the only way I actually feel like me in that office." Ed suddenly grinned. "And it felt fucking great to hit him."

Mustang just grunted. "Well, I think your leg is done at least." He stood up and moved over to Ed's arm instead.

"How the hell do you actually manage to speak with officers like that?"

"Long training. And I have a goal that's keeping me going."

"You really want to be Führer that badly?"

"I want to change this country."

"All I heard is that you want to force all female workers to wear miniskirts. That's not a real goal, more of a sick fantasy. A sick fantasy that's gonna get you shot before you know it."

"I wouldn't be shot, I have Hawkeye looking out for me."

"Who do you think would shoot you?"

Mustang paused. "That's a valid point. I guess I will have to make certain exceptions."

"Sounds like a good idea, Colonel." Ed rolled his eyes. "You really are a womanising bastard."

"So you keep telling me."

"I'm trying to make you face reality."

Mustang grunted. "You know, you really should be a bit more polite, I am helping you after all."

"Don't you start that too, I've got enough with Schiff. Or are you too gonna hit me if I keep talking this way to you?" Ed said mockingly.

Mustang, however, stopped drying his arm and spoke with barely suppressed anger. "I don't hit my subordinates. And I especially don't flog children."

Ed was taken aback by the man's fierceness as he said it. He found some comfort in it, he supposed.

"Sounds like a good rule, you keep that one when you're Führer, and the military is going to be a better place." Ed spoke in a much more serious tone than necessary just to tease the man.

"Right, now's the hair. I suggest you lean over the bathtub."

"Yes, Sir," Ed said, mocking him. He kneeled down in front of the tub, removing the scrunchie from his plait. Hawkeye had been kind enough to do it for him now these last few days.

He leaned his head over the edge, letting his hair fall down in front of him, while Mustang picked up the showerhead. As he made sure that the temperature was right, he brought it over Ed's head, and he had to say that the man may be good at flame alchemy, but he was certainly no hairdresser. Ed had never got so much soap and water into his face ever in his life, but he didn't say anything about it. He couldn't really see how the man would actually have any experience with washing hair.

Ed just hoped he'd get better at it because he'd rather not get drowned once a day for the next two weeks.


	7. Chapter 7

**Sorry for not posting for two days! My head came up with another story and I just had to write it down!**

**And thank you so much to all the readers, followers, favouriters and reviewers! You guys make my day!**

**Disclaimer: I do not own Fullmetal Alchemist.**

* * *

**Chapter Seven**

The first morning at Mustang's house went pretty well. The redressing of his back hurt like hell, and having a grownup helping him to get dressed was fucking humiliating, but other than that, it wasn't that bad.

But Ed had to say he was sort of disappointed with the fact that he had to settle for a ponytail.

The research documents stacked in Mustang's cellar were incredibly tempting, especially after the Colonel's comment about him not being able to read them. He was itching to just take a tiny little peek at them, if just to prove the Colonel wrong.

But no, he was going to be a good houseguest, at least for the moment, if just to repay the Colonel for what he'd done for him and Al the last few days.

Then came the time to get back to work.

The uniform was a nightmare on his back, constantly pressing and rubbing against it. Each step he took would cause the seams to dig into his skin.

And so he was walking slower than usual through the halls of East HQ next to Al and Mustang.

"Brother, are you sure that you're okay?"

"Yeah, Al. It's just uncomfortable, that's all."

_Which is exactly what Schiff wants._

"You should take some painkillers, Brother."

"I don't need it."

Ed had already decided that he wasn't going to take any painkillers for anything that Schiff put him through. He felt like he let the man win if he couldn't even bear the pain on his own.

"Really, Ed, you're being so stubborn!"

"Just drop it, Al. I'm not gonna take them and that's final!"

He left them outside Mustang's office, grumpily walking away and over to Schiff's office. Forgetting himself, he kicked the door open (which was thankfully left unnoticed by Schiff) and sat down at his desk. The fucking typewriter was still there.

Ed cursed as he saw the large stack of papers next to him. What was worse, though, was the description of what he was supposed to do with them.

_Elric._

_Seeing as how you are so lucky as to have a typewriter, you will write down the reports for the rest of the team. If you find any mistakes or areas where the writing can be improved, you will of course change this. You have until tomorrow afternoon to get this done._

_No excuses._

_Damn him!_

Ed picked up the first report and set to work. It was dreadfully boring, working through each report, but then his eyes fell upon something interesting. It was a case from two weeks ago, a case that he and Al had solved on their own. And it had been signed by somebody else, presented as their own work.

Ed stood up on his chair and shouted to the room at large.

"OKAY! WHICH ONE OF YOU IS FIRST LIEUTENANT ADAM MILTON?!"

One of the soldiers raised a hand, looking cockily at him. "Why d'you want to know?"

Ed didn't recognise his face. "Get over here, right now!"

The soldier was tall and muscular, not wearing his uniform jacket, but had slung it over his left shoulder so that he was only wearing his undershirt. He had red-brown hair which formed a stupid curl at his forehead. The smug look on his face made Ed want to hit him.

"What's wrong?"

"Read for yourself, you wrote it!" Ed shoved the pieces of paper in question at his chest, unbalancing him slightly. The soldier looked at him darkly. He read the first few lines before he looked down at Ed. "Wha's'wrong?"

"You stole my case! That was my case and I solved it! AND I WROTE MY OWN DAMN REPORT ON IT TOO!"

"ELRIC!" It was Schiff. He was standing in the door of his office, looking livid. "What are you shouting for?!"

"Your subordinate has presented my work as his own!"

"Lieutenant Milton, is this true?"

"I have no idea what he's talking about, Uncle."

Ed felt his jaw drop.

"Elric, you have ten seconds to explain yourself! Why would you lie to me about my officer?"

"I'm not lying! I solved that case two weeks ago, as I stated in my report!"

"But as I do not have said report, I have no way to verify that, and so I choose to believe the word of my nephew who has worked under me for the last year! Now, unless you want another caning, I suggest you get back to your desk and write up my nephew's report!"

"I'm going for lunch, I'll be back in thirty minutes."

The man just grunted and then slammed the door to his office.

"Ha ha, better luck next time!" Milton said and slammed his hand on Ed's back, making him yelp and then he gave him the report back.

Ed crumpled it in his hand, turned on his heel and left the office, fuming.

Not giving a damn about his back while the pain only succeeded in infuriating him further, he stomped over to his old office, kicking the door open in full force.

"HAWKEYE! I NEED YOUR HELP!" Ed announced furiously.

"Brother?" Alphonse inquired.

"Oh, Edward, what's wrong?" Hawkeye said as she came out of the inner office.

"SCHIFF'S NEPHEW'S STEALING MY FUCKING CREDIT!"

"What?"

"THE BRAT HAS TAKEN THE CREDIT FOR A CASE I SOLVED TWO WEEKS AGO AND I'M NOT WRITING IT DOWN AGAIN WITH POOR WORDING ON SCHIFF'S FUCKING TYPEWRITER!"

"Okay, Edward, what case was it?" Hawkeye said calmly, gesturing for him to follow her into the inner office.

Mustang was looking curiously up at them from behind his desk as they walked over to one of the many filing cabinets that lined the office walls.

"The Ziffon-Burns case. The one with the transmuted signs."

"Ah." She began working her way through the documents until she found a thick folder. She then opened it and riffled through the pages expertly, before she opened the clasps and brought out the correct file.

"Here are all the documents concerning your case, including the officers in charge and your report."

"Thank you, Hawkeye."

"No problem, Edward."

Ed had never been so happy with Hawkeye's insistence on keeping the paperwork both done properly but also filed efficiently so that it was easy to access.

Ed knew it wasn't really that big a deal, but he was not going to write more than necessary down on that damned typewriter. And he also hated Milton's smug attitude so much. Ed did actually deserve some respect after all.

"Will you be joining us for lunch?" Mustang said.

"Yeah, I need a break from all that clacking from that damned typewriter. By the way, Colonel, could we add it to the list of things that you'll torch when I'm back here?"

"Sure, Fullmetal."

"Great. And then after lunch I'm gonna slam that stupid file on Schiff's desk and make him and his nephew eat their words."

Mustang looked thoughtful for some reason. "You know what, I'll come with you to back you up. I am an eyewitness to it being your case after all."

Ed's eyebrows shot up. "Really, Colonel? Great!"

* * *

Roy followed Fullmetal to the office as they walked through the halls. The kid opened the door and then knocked twice upon the door to the inner office.

"Enter."

The kid pushed the door open triumphantly.

"What is it now, Elric?"

"Proof." He slammed the file down on the desk. "I even brought an eyewitness. Your nephew is a liar. It was my case and no one else's and that's a fact."

The man looked at the papers, studying them, comparing them, then he sighed. "Fine, send my nephew in here for me."

Fullmetal turned on his heel an was back within fifteen seconds dragging a man in his early twenties by his right ear. Roy felt his stomach twist with anger as he recognised him as one of the soldiers that had said that the kid deserved the flogging.

"Elric has brought proof about his claims, what do you say to that, Lieutenant?"

"Sorry, Uncle, just wanted to impress you."

"Very well, you're dismissed."

Roy hardly believed it. So the man actually had a soft spot and it was that brat?!

The kid was two seconds away from a tantrum, and Roy put a calming hand on his shoulder.

"I'm sorry, Sir, but that hardly seems fair. You caned my subordinate for a lot less," Roy barely kept the anger out of his voice.

"How I choose to punish my subordinates is up to me. And remember, Mustang, Elric is **my** subordinate now, not yours. Now kindly leave my office."

Roy turned the fuming teen around and they left.

"Sorry, Fullmetal." Roy bent down to his ear. "But at least we now know that he has a weakness," he whispered, an evil grin forming on his face.

Roy was going to get back at that brat for this.

* * *

Ed was seething. His back was aching and he just wanted to go home and sleep. This day had been lousy, but at least he was out of that damned office. He had never been so happy to get off work before.

His fuming temper was enough for him not to notice the person coming round the corner before he had a fist connecting with his jaw and he landed painfully on his back. Dazed from the blow, he hardly recognised Milton as he stood over him, dragging him by the front of his uniform.

"You son of a bitch, you got me into deep trouble with my uncle! I swear that I'm going to make your life hell, kid. And if you retaliate, I'll tell him, and you'll find yourself before a court-martial before you know it, I swear."

He slammed Ed against the wall, face first.

Ed was fighting to stay conscious, the brat had one hell of a right hook.

He felt blood streaming from his nose as his head smashed against the wall again. Then Milton opened a door into a broom closet and threw Ed inside.

The last thing he heard was the click of the lock and then he succumbed to the black spots that had been pulling him towards unconsciousness for the last minute.

* * *

Ed's head was hurting like hell, so was his face and his back. He opened his eyes only to find himself inside the broom closet from before. He had no idea how long he had been there.

_Dammit!_

And that dick Milton was getting on Ed's nerves even more than his uncle.

Ed stood up shakily. He was dizzy and felt sick because of the pain in his body. He tried the door, but it was locked.

Ed just clapped his hands and used his alchemy to open the door. Milton obviously wasn't that smart, thinking that there would be a point in locking him in.

Ed swayed on his feet. It obviously wasn't a very good idea to perform transmutations when he was only half-conscious. His ears were ringing now and the hallway around him was spinning.

He licked the dried blood off his lips and leaned against the wall as he walked forwards in what he hoped was the direction of Mustang's office. Then they could get to the car and Ed could get a good night's rest and he would feel a lot better.

Ed walked for about two minutes until he saw someone turning the corner ahead of him. His vision was blurry, but it sounded like Mustang.

"EDWARD! WHAT THE HELL HAPPENED TO YOU!?" The Colonel ran forwards as he shouted, stopping in front of him, which was when Ed's legs buckled beneath him and he gave up on staying awake.


	8. Chapter 8

**I'm so sorry about not posting for a few days! I started another story and I had a spinal tap two days ago, so I haven't been in the greatest of shape for the last few days.**

**Other than that, this is a parental chapter, so I hope you'll enjoy!**

**And once again, thank you all so much for reading, reviewing, favouriting and following this story!**

**Disclaimer: I do not own Fullmetal Alchemist.**

* * *

**Chapter Eight**

Roy was worried. Fullmetal should have signed off thirty minutes ago, but there was still no sign of him.

He got up from behind his desk.

"Sir?" Hawkeye asked.

"I'm going to look for him."

"Very well, Colonel."

Roy got out of the inner office, running into Alphonse.

"Colonel? Are you going to look for Brother?"

"Yes."

"Then I'm coming too."

And so they walked over to Schiff's office, only to find that the kid had left at the usual hour.

Roy didn't like this.

And so he went on searching, him and Alphonse splitting up to cover more ground.

An hour later, he went through the same hall for the eighth time, when he turned right, stopping slightly at the sight of the staggering boy with the bleeding nose where the blood had run the whole way down his uniform.

Then he ran towards him.

"EDWARD! WHAT THE HELL HAPPENED TO YOU!?" He stopped in front of the boy, which was when Fullmetal's knees gave out on him and Roy stepped forwards and caught him in his arms.

Roy immediately lifted him up, walking past where the kid had come staggering from. There was a small indentation in the wall as well as a lot of blood. Roy didn't know how he had missed it.

He carried the unconscious child to the infirmary where the doctor looked the kid over, deciding on a mild concussion and a broken nose. Fortunately the nose wouldn't need any surgery as it would just grow back as it should, but the area would both be swollen and sore for a while.

The doctor had learnt his lesson with Schiff, and had already left to deliver a note excusing Fullmetal from work for the next week.

Roy ended up spending the night at the infirmary together with Al. He had no idea who had done this to the kid, but he wasn't going to leave him on his own to be attacked again.

And so he woke up with his neck hurting like hell and his shoulders stiff as he was still sitting in his semi-comfortable chair. He rolled his shoulders and cracked his neck, trying to make them hurt slightly less than what they currently did.

Roy looked over at the suit of armour, yawning. "Morning, Alphonse."

"Oh, good morning, Colonel!"

"How's he doing?"

"He's still the same as yesterday."

"Right."

Roy looked over at the sleeping boy. His nose looked like hell and he had a black eye. He started stirring slightly, and was soon opening his right eye slowly. His left remained closed because of the swelling.

"Brother!"

"Hey, Alphonse," he said weakly.

"Listen, I don't want to push you, Edward, but do you remember who attacked you?" Roy said.

"Milton. He was angry about me busting him."

"Right. I'll be back later." Roy stood up and knowing that the kid had seen through his plans, pretended not to hear it when he tried to stop him. He stomped through the halls and threw open Schiff's office door. He didn't even bother to knock as he came to the inner office. He slammed his hands upon the desk.

"Yes, Colonel Mustang?"

"Your nephew assaulted Fullmetal yesterday."

"Oh, so that's why he's taking another vacation."

Oh, how Roy longed to hit the man.

"He is not in any shape to go to work because your nephew attacked a higher ranking officer!"

Schiff interlaced his fingers, leaning his chin on his thumbs. "And what are you planning to do with it? Elric has a concussion, many people don't remember the circumstances surrounding those incidents, he might have dreamt it."

"I don't think General Grumman will see it the same way."

"I don't think Elric is the type to report things like this. He seems a bit too stubborn. Might feel that it hurts his pride."

Roy clenched his fists. Schiff was right. With no witnesses, the only testimony that would matter would be Fullmetal's. And there was no way that the kid would admit to being attacked by Milton.

"So you see, Mustang, you've been beaten. No matter how much you may feel that Elric needs to be protected by Daddy Mustang, you need to realise that right now, you are powerless. Elric is my subordinate as is Adam. You can't do anything. Now leave my office, unless you want a beating."

Roy glared at him, then he spun on his heel and marched out of the office. He went back to the infirmary, slamming the door behind him.

"Bad news, huh?" Fullmetal said.

"Yes. Unless you report Milton to Grumman yourself, there's nothing that can be done."

"I'm not gonna do that!"

"When you get back to the office in a week, you're not to go through the halls on your own."

"I can handle myself!"

"I'm not saying that you can't, but if you're unlucky again, in the worst case scenario, you may get yourself killed."

"I won't!"

"Edward, I saw the wall. He smashed your head against it. You're lucky it's only a mild concussion, he could have killed you."

Roy felt his stomach clench at the thought as he said the words. That's right, the kid could actually have died.

And a part of Roy felt panicky and disappointed at the thought.

No, he couldn't think about that right now.

"Listen, I'm calling in sick today. I've got a blazing headache and lack of sleep. I'm taking you back home, and then we're both going to get some rest."

_And maybe some Aspirin._

"But – "

"No, Edward. That's how it's going to be. You're my houseguest and those are my rules."

The kid grunted.

After delivering a few messages and helping the kid change into his clothes, Roy was walking through the halls, his right arm linked through Edward's as the kid was walking unsteadily, obviously dizzy. Alphonse was holding his right arm, and so they held him between them.

The kid protested the arrangement and was grumpy, but Roy had ordered him as a superior officer to accept their help.

And so they got back home. Roy was tired and the tension was worsening his headache considerably. He helped the kid up the stairs and into his bedroom. Roy helped him out of his uniform as he hadn't brought any other clothes, and the kid was soon lying on his side in his boxers and tank top and Roy pulled the covers over him.

"I'll bring you some breakfast, what do you want?"

"Toast."

"Toast it is."

Roy guessed that the kid was nauseous, he looked it at least. He went into the bathroom and brought him a bucket just in case.

He could hear him conversing with Alphonse as he left the room, and returned five minutes later with a tray with two pieces of toast and a glass of orange juice. He had also brought a sandwich for himself and sat down on the edge of the bed, keeping an eye on the kid as they ate. Alphonse was out for another walk. He tended to do that when people were eating.

Roy hated the feeling of not thinking of HQ as a safe place to be anymore, despite having his team there. As long as the kid wasn't safe, then it wasn't right.

"Colonel? What's wrong?"

"No, I'm just thinking."

"You don't usually turn pale just by thinking."

_So I'm that obvious, huh?_

"It's not HQ if it isn't even safe for a fourteen-year-old to walk through the halls on his own."

"Listen, I won't let it happen again! He just caught me off guard. You don't have to follow me through the halls!"

"Fullmetal, everyone has a bad day, the problem is that your bad days go to hell. I don't want something like this to happen again, okay?"

"Why do you even care?!"

"Because I look after my subordinates."

"But I'm not anymore, am I?! You take pity on me for some reason right now and otherwise all we do is fight! I've lost count of how many times I've called you bastard these last two years, so why the hell would you even care? Usually you treat me like a stubborn brat, threatening me with a court-martial if I don't follow your orders, so why did you even invite me and Alphonse here, the moment I get injured? You've never done it before, have you?"

_So the kid is getting anxious because I don't insult him?_

"You honestly think that I see you as a brat?"

"You've told me plenty of times before!"

"Yes, as a joke. Listen, Edward, you're a kid in a grownups' world. Did you really believe that I would just bring you into the military as a twelve-year-old and not be prepared to look after you?"

"And that's another thing! Since when do you call me by my first name?!"

Roy could sort of understand the kid. He was injured, and had been so many times during the last week. He was embarrassed about it too. He was vulnerable in a way that he hadn't really been before, and so he was lashing out like a trapped dog.

_And he hasn't had a male figure looking out for him in this way ever since Hohenheim left them._

That was it. The kid was afraid of getting emotionally attached.

"You're afraid that I'll turn out like Hohenheim."

Edward just stared at him.

Then he threw his blankets off and angrily tried stomping his way towards the door, but was definitely too dizzy for it, and began stumbling after four steps.

And so Roy stood up and moved in front of him, gripping his arms, holding him in place while making sure that he didn't hurt himself.

"Let me go! Don't you dare bring up that bastard's name!"

"Edward, you're not well enough to leave, and I'm not letting you either."

"You can't control me! LET ME GO, DAMMIT!"

_Thank god he's only half as strong as usual._

"I'm not going to do that. You'll only end up hurting yourself." Roy spoke in a calm voice. The kid was distraught and in the middle of an emotional breakdown, and he just needed to calm him down.

"I TOLD YOU TO LET ME GO!"

"Listen, Edward, we need to talk about this."

"NO WE DON'T! IT'S NONE OF YOUR BUSINESS!"

The kid was getting shaky and Roy made a split-moment decision. He let go of his arms and instead threw the kid over shoulder. Edward instantly began hitting him with his automail fist, shouting profanities, but Roy didn't care. He got the kid back into his bed, and when he tried to move again, Roy simply lifted him onto his lap while holding Edward's arms apart, trying not to cause him more pain because of his back.

"YOU BASTARD! LET GO OF ME!"

"Then tell me why my statement made you so angry."

"NO!"

"Because it's true. You're afraid. You're lashing out, Ed, and the only one you're fooling is yourself."

"NO!"

"And the moment you begin to show any weakness, you shield yourself with anger. You're afraid of trusting me because you don't want to be left behind again, and being reassigned is bringing it all up again, isn't it?"

The kid was growing weaker and weaker, channeling all his energy into being angry at Roy. He had already stopped struggling in his grip, and Roy knew he was getting through.

"Stop it," the kid said.

"You know, it's all right to feel vulnerable. Nobody needs to know. Not even Al."

"Shut up, you bastard."

"I won't give up on you, kid."

That seemed to be the breaking point. The kid was exhausted both emotionally and physically, and he just sunk into Roy's chest, and Roy could feel the wetness of tears soaking through the fabric of his shirt.


	9. Chapter 9

**Sorry for the wait, guys! Have been waiting for my muse for this story, I guess.**

**And this chapter is definitely parental and I hope it doesn't seem rushed or anything and that you guys like it. **

**And thank you so, so much to all the readers, reviewers, favouriters and followers!**

**Disclaimer: I don't own Fullmetal Alchemist.**

* * *

**Chapter Nine**

Roy sat there, holding the crying child. He knew that he had crossed some kind of border and that he wouldn't be able to ever go back to how things usually worked between them, but Roy could be okay with that. They had reached a kind of emotional dependency, he guessed.

Well, the kid wouldn't be the first, although his bond with Hawkeye was a very different one.

He guessed he had sort of seen it coming the last year or so, but still, this was a large step. A very large step.

But no, it was Roy's duty. He had stolen a lot of this boy's childhood from him, he was going to let him be a kid when it just became too much to bear. Edward deserved at least that.

And so he held him.

Edward was clutching the front of his shirt.

"Dammit!" he said, obviously still crying.

"Listen, it's okay."

"No it's not! I'm stronger than this!"

"Not being able to take the emotional pressure of having your father run out on you has nothing to do with strength."

"Yes it does! It does, you manipulative bastard!"

Roy just shifted his grip and placed his left hand on the back of the kid's head.

"You bastard! There you go again! I'm not a child, dammit!"

"Actually, you are."

Roy was amazed at the way that the kid managed to both cry and be pissed off at the same time.

"Shut up."

"It's alright, kid. It really is."

"No it's not! Because you're The Colonel! You're supposed to be a womanising bastard and nothing more! I'm not supposed to be hugged and you're definitely not supposed to be the one hugging me!"

"Well, it's better that somebody does."

"No! It's all just wrong!"

_Roy, what have you got yourself into?_

"Tell me, Edward, why are you so afraid of emotional attachment?"

"I'm not afraid!"

"No, you're just holding on to your superior, still trying to fool yourself. It's okay. You're only being human, and not a living soul other than you or me knows it."

"Please, Colonel, just don't."

"It's okay, Edward. It really is. You've had a stressful week, your life has been turned upside down, you've been beaten, flogged, had your nose broken and you've got a concussion too. It's okay to just let it out."

"No! Because I don't do that!"

"Then it's about time."

"No!"

_Damn, this kid is too stubborn for his own good._

Roy closed his eyes and sighed, putting his chin on the top of the child's head.

"Come on, Edward, why is it such an issue? I've promised you not to leave you, why won't you just allow yourself to be a child for once?"

Roy wanted the kid to understand. If not, the result of this may be that he would close himself off from Roy instead and come off worse from this. He didn't want Edward to be embarrassed after the first time in years probably that he lets himself actually open up.

Which meant that Roy needed to get through to him about it actually being okay.

"You were wondering why I was being so considerate ever since you were reassigned? I guess it's a bit of the same thing as what happened to you. There was a part of me that panicked the moment I lost you on my team, and I wanted to make sure that you were taken care of."

_**Damn it, Roy! Did you actually say that?**_

The kid looked up at him curiously, tears still running down his cheeks. "So what you're saying is that you … care … about … me?"

**_Well, Roy, you asked for it, you might as well just go all the way through with this._**

"I guess I do."

The kid studied his face for a few seconds. Then he smiled slightly.

"Damn, Colonel … I didn't see that one coming."

Roy just sighed again. "Come here, you stupid brat," he said and pulled him closer.

The kid leaned the right side of his face against him and slowly put his arms around Roy too.

"If you say anything about this to anyone, I swear that I will learn the secrets of flame alchemy and use them against you."

"Duly noted."

And so they just sat there. Roy was actually feeling a kind of happiness that he hadn't felt before. A kind of terrible happiness that also filled him with fear. Roy couldn't really explain it, but he suddenly felt so much more responsible for this boy.

And it felt good.

It felt right. This hug. It felt like it was his job.

Because Edward was _his_ no matter what Schiff said. Roy was the one who cared for him and Roy was the one that held onto him and Roy was the one that was going to make things right.

Roy was the one that was going to take care of him.

… Like a parent.

_Shit! Did I just think that?!_

_**No, Roy! No! No! No!**_

_Why not though?_

_**Just no!**_

_Why?_

_**Because that is Edward Elric and you are already getting in too deep to get out of this! Do not make this any worse! You're not a father! You're not HIS father!**_

_No, because he was a bastard that left this kid a long time ago. I won't do that._

_**Stop it, Roy! Stop this before it is too late!**_

_I won't leave this kid._

_**Don't think like that! Just stop! STOP!**_

_I won't hurt him._

_**Roy! Don't do this to yourself!**_

_I think it's too late for that._

_**STOP IT, ROY!**_

_No._

And so Roy just held Ed tighter, relishing in the fact that this has gone as well as he could have hoped.

* * *

Ed was conflicted. He was hugging the fucking Colonel!

What the hell!

He was actually hugging him back even. Not caring about the fact that his back was burning or that his nose was screaming in agony because he felt better than he had for days now.

He felt better than he had for days because of this hug. He felt safe. He felt warm. And for once he felt like a kid.

And it was great.

And no one would ever know about it.

Never.

But still, how the heck did he even end up here in the first place? Why the hell did he let him hug him? Why?

_Argh, this is so confusing!_

He was surprised as hell to hear the Colonel say that he cares about him. He had just assumed that he really saw him as an insufferable brat because that was what he had been saying all the time.

He guessed it was kind of nice, although it was weird.

Really weird.

Fucking weird, actually.

**_Because, Ed, you're still hugging him..._**

Yet Ed couldn't really get himself to let go of the man either. Fact was, this hug felt even more real, even warmer, even safer, than any of the ones he could ever remember Hohenheim giving him.

So maybe he could trust him?

There was none of the feeling of this being forced. Ed hadn't been the one to initiate this. There wasn't any of the distance that he had felt from Hohenheim. And it felt so good. This was so much more of what it was supposed to be like. And the part of him that was so angry with Hohenheim, was cherishing this. This was what he had wanted from that bastard, but had never got.

And Ed knew he could trust this man. If there was one thing that Ed had admired about the Colonel, it was his loyalty. And if he said that he actually cared about him, then Ed believed him. And it felt good.

So he was going to overlook the fact that it was the bastard Colonel that he was hugging.

Because this was the first time in a week that he had felt safe. It was the first time in two years actually. And Ed had never realised how much he had missed it.

"Thanks."

"For what?" Mustang said quietly.

"For being here."

"Anytime, kid. Anytime."

* * *

And so Roy just held him. Held him until he could hear the child snoring against his chest. He smiled slightly. Of course the kid had to be exhausted. He had a concussion and needed rest. Roy too.

And so he just gently lowered the boy onto the bed and then lay down himself, pulling the covers over them, before holding him against his chest, loosening the ponytail and then just resting his left hand at the back of his head.

Maybe he was finally understanding Maes slightly. Although no pictures.

Then he too fell asleep with a smile on his face.

* * *

Alphonse came back into the house and went upstairs to check on Brother. He opened the door slowly and looked inside the room, only to find something surprising. Ed was lying there, and the Colonel was hugging him, a smile on his face.

_About time._

Ed deserves a break. He deserves someone looking after him for once.

Al smiled inwardly and turned off the bedroom lights and closed the door slowly.

* * *

**I hope that I got the rejection bit realistic when it comes to comparing it to Hohenheim, because I'm really basing it on personal experiences.**


	10. Chapter 10

**I'm so sorry that it took me so long to post this! My muse for this story has been sort of dormant, I guess. But I swear, I won't abandon this one, although it might take a week between the chapters.**

**And thank you people so, so much for your response to this! This has become my most viewed fic so far, so thank you! You people are amazing!**

**Disclaimer: I do not own Fullmetal Alchemist.**

* * *

**Chapter Ten**

Edward woke up to find himself in a surprising situation. He was lying next to the Colonel, using his right arm as a pillow, his own arm, although unfeeling automail, lying on the man's stomach. He had sort of believed it to be a dream. Part of him was glad to discover that it was in fact real, but another part of him was completely freaked out by it all.

Then the Colonel shifted and slid an arm over his side, making his back shout in protest, but Ed didn't care. Even when sleeping, the man was actually pulling him closer into the hug. Even when sleeping, the man obviously cared about him.

It was an oddly warm feeling that Ed hadn't really felt ever since Mom died.

The Colonel mumbled. Then he woke up. "Hmm? Wha? Oh… Ed." He smiled. "Morning."

"I think it's afternoon."

Mustang lifted his head high enough to look over Ed's head. "I think you're right. It's a quarter past two."

"Oh."

Ed felt awkward. They were going to have to talk about this.

"Uhm…Colonel?"

"I think you've earned the right to call me Roy."

"Oh. Right. Roy? Where does this leave us?"

Roy grew contemplative. He seemed to be thinking it through thoroughly. "I don't know. I have basically no experience in parenting, but I'll do my best for you if you want me to."

Ed had to say that it sounded both nice and scary at the same time. And of course, fucking weird. "I don't know … I haven't really wanted a father after that bastard left. And I still can't believe that it's**_ you_** out of all people. I guess it's still just really confusing."

"That's okay. I'm confused too." Roy was speaking in a soft, comforting voice, but his eyes betrayed that he too felt a bit lost.

"You better be, otherwise this would just be creepy."

Roy chuckled and put his hand at the back of Ed's head. Ed pressed his forehead against his chest, joining in on the hug. It felt so good that it was okay. That it was okay to be hugged, to want a hug. To miss having a parent.

And he liked that Roy understood that it was more important than the fact that Ed hurt from his back and his face and even his hand. And so he didn't ask. He did have a concerned look on his face, but that was just as it should be. It was a sign that he cared.

So this what it was like to know "Roy" instead of "Mustang" or "The Colonel". Ed could understand why Hawkeye was so loyal now. If she got to see Roy for who he truly was, then Ed understood her perfectly. Although he wouldn't want to be his assistant.

But this. This was nice. This was warm and safe. It felt right.

"But it's still fucking weird that it's you."

"Well, I wasn't exactly thinking that this was where I would end up two weeks ago either."

"Kind of know the feeling."

"I mean, I am more used to you being a brat…"

"Oh, shut up."

"But you're a good kid. Just know that."

"Thanks. I guess that you're pretty okay when you're not busy being a bastard."

Roy sighed. "You know, Edward, you need to work on your compliments."

"Nah, I think I've got them under control."

"Of course you do…"

It was so weird to lie there, because the hardened shell that he had built up for the last eleven years was screaming at him to run, telling him "WHAT THE HELL ARE YOU DOING?!" but his body wasn't listening. It was just so good not to be the one in charge of making things right for once.

And so Ed just enjoyed the hug.

"Hey, Edward, how's your head?"

"It's fine. I think Doc may have overdone it with excusing me from work for a whole week, but I guess it was mostly just because he doesn't like Schiff. I'm just dizzy and have a headache."

"Well, then I'm not the only one who wants you far away from Schiff."

"Guess so. But I'm getting back at Milton somehow."

"Be careful, Ed. I don't want you to get any more injuries."

"I won't let him beat me up again!"

"No, I'm talking about what Schiff will do if you take on his nephew. I don't want to watch you get flogged again. Once is one time too many."

"So now you're doing the whole "concerned parent" thing? Because that's actually a bit scary you know."

"Just so you know, Edward, you've had me worried ever since you decided to point a spear at Führer Bradley during your examination." Roy sighed.

"I still don't know how he managed to draw his sword…" Ed mumbled.

"There's a reason why he's the Führer. He's not an average soldier."

"But still…"

"Just let it lie."

"Fine."

* * *

Roy felt weird. He was actually lying in bed, holding Edward Elric and hugging him like a son. And it seemed that they were both enjoying it. And Roy felt that this was actually right. This was how it was supposed to be. And he had to say that he was extremely happy about the result of their talk. Ed hadn't shut himself off but was instead acting on what Roy guessed to be an instinctive longing for a father.

And he was himself happy with this odd feeling of, he didn't really know what it was, but it was a kind of warm pride in the boy, he supposed.

He felt a weird kind of ownership that he hadn't felt before. But it was nice. Because Edward was his. And so was Alphonse. They were his boys. And Roy actually felt lucky. He felt lucky for being able to hug Edward in this way, because who else would he actually have allowed to do so?

And so Roy couldn't help but feel slightly guilty about how he had been treating Edward these last two years.

"You know, Edward, I should have told you this earlier, but you're a great boy. A really great one. Both you and your brother."

"Oh, thanks? Where did that come from?"

"It was just something you said. You told me that you really thought that I meant that you're a brat and nothing more."

"Oh. Yeah, well, we figured that one out though, didn't we?"

Roy chuckled. "Yes. But still. You've been my subordinate for two years and I haven't actually complimented you, not once."

"That's okay."

"It's not, actually. Not when it led you to believe that I didn't care about you and that I only helped you this last week out of pity. That's not how I should have acted, and I'm sorry for it."

"I told you, it's fine. Now stop making this awkward." Ed moved his automail arm so that he hugged Roy tighter, and Roy did the same with his flesh and blood one so that the boy was resting closer to his chest.

"Out of all the moments for you to be a teenager, it has to be when I'm trying to make things right."

"Stop ruining it…" Ed was sounding sleepier.

"Fine kid, I won't." Roy smiled.

It didn't take long for a series of snores to escape from the teen. Roy just lay there, stroking the back of his head, enjoying the moment while trying to block out the dread that it also brought.

The door was opened slightly and Alphonse peeked in. Roy froze. He had promised Ed that nobody would know about this, but at the same time, it would be hard to keep this away from Al. Besides, this was a step further than any of them had guessed that that crying would bring them. It was, after all, a step into fatherhood.

"Colonel, oh, I'm sorry! I didn't mean to wake you, I was just checking in on Brother."

"It's completely fine, Al," Roy smiled reassuringly.

"Oh, good. Do you know how he's doing?"

"He seems to be better. He says he just has a headache and is dizzy, but we both know that Ed isn't one for saying anything until he's dying of internal bleeding or something."

"I thought you didn't know about that one!" Al sounded surprised.

Roy felt his sleepiness disappear. "Don't tell me he actually did nearly die from internal bleeding?"

"You know when we said we went to Resembool for six weeks four months ago?"

Roy groaned. "You should have said something!"

"I'm sorry, Brother made me swear not to tell you! But I did force him to stay in bed every day and he did get fine after staying in the hospital."

Roy sighed. "You know, Ed is lucky to have you. We all are. Like I told Ed, you're both great kids. You just need to trust us adults a bit more."

"Well, it seems like Ed has begun trusting you a lot more. That's good."

Roy was glad that the lights were turned off so that Alphonse didn't see the faint blush reaching his cheeks. He was still so new to this whole parenting business that having it pointed out to him this way made him feel a bit embarrassed. "You know that if you ever want to talk, that you're free to come to me, right? I … already told Ed that I care about him, and the same goes for you. So if there is ever anything that you need, day or night, just tell me, please?" Roy had no idea if that was a good speech or not, but he would stumble his way through this, he had gone much too far not to finish after all.

"Thank you, Colonel, really. I will. And thank you for taking care of Brother, it means a lot to both of us."

"No problem, Al, it's my pleasure."

Al moved to close the door behind him. "Oh! Alphonse!"

"Yes?"

"It's Roy."

"Oh, okay. Thank you, Roy."

"Of course."


	11. Chapter 11

**Sorry about not posting for a while, I only write on this story when I'm in the mood for it, as with my other fics.**

**I don't know when my next update will be, though, as I'm going in for jaw surgery on Thursday and don't know how much I will be able to write for the next week.**

**Anyways: Thank you so much people! 30 followers! Woohoo!**

**And I do not own Fullmetal alchemist.**

* * *

**Chapter Eleven**

Roy woke up to find himself still hugging Ed to him. Problem was, Roy was getting hungry, the clock on the nightstand said half past six, and Roy was the one who was supposed to make dinner. But Ed was lying peacefully with his head on Roy's right shoulder, and Roy didn't want to wake him if he felt like sleeping. Besides, the boy was actually smiling. Roy had seen him sleeping on the office couch plenty of times, but this was the first time he had seen him smiling as he slept. He didn't want to disturb his peace.

Then Ed's stomach rumbled loudly and he woke up, making Roy wonder if the boy's stomach was somehow telepathically linked to thoughts of food. "Hmm? Huh? Oh … dinner?"

Roy couldn't help but chuckle at the response.

Ed seemed to gather himself a bit and looked up at Roy slightly uncomfortably. "You're still here, huh?"

"Yes."

"I still think it's funny that it's you." Ed suddenly shivered slightly.

"What's wrong?"

"Imagine what Hughes would say."

Roy felt the same shiver go through himself at the thought. Then he looked back at Ed.

And they burst out laughing.

"Holy crap, what happened to us?" Ed said, still chuckling. "I'm supposed to basically hate you. To be a brat."

"Well, now you're _my_ brat," Roy said, leaning his chin on Ed's head.

Then they began laughing again.

"This is the weirdest day of my life. How the hell did we even get here? We're actually enjoying each other's company, we're not insulting each other and you're actually being the opposite of a bastard."

"And you're sort of succeeding in giving me a compliment."

"Weird."

And they laughed again.

This was great. Really great. Why the hell he had insisted on pushing the kid away until now, he really didn't know.

"Maybe we're too alike? We kind of repel each other?" Roy mused.

"So all you need to get a family is a flogging and a concussion?" Ed suggested.

Roy felt his stomach clench at the idea. He could still hear Ed's scream as he was whipped for the twentieth time echoing through his head. Roy just hugged him tighter. "God, I'm sorry you had to go through that."

"It's fine, Roy. It really is."

"It really isn't. You're fourteen, Ed. You aren't supposed to be whipped until the point where you lose consciousness because of blood loss. You're not supposed to have your head smashed against a wall. You're supposed to be in school where the most usual injury is a paper cut."

"Well, I can't have that yet, can I? Not until Al is back in his body."

"Which is what makes this even crueller than it already is. For what it's worth, Ed, I'm sorry that the best option I could offer you three years ago was this."

"Where the hell is all this coming from? You're sure you're not the one with the head injury?"

Roy chuckled. "I'm not sure, kid, but I've got two years' worth of repressed feelings to catch up on."

"Uh-huh." Ed hugged him tighter. Roy began stroking the back of his head. He knew he should get dinner ready, but lying here and hugging Ed after finding out that the boy was practically like a son to him, made moving pretty hard. Ed seemed to be the same. Perhaps there was a fear that if they moved, the moment would be broken and everything that they had built would just crumble.

"But honestly, what the hell would Hughes have said if he saw us?" Ed asked.

Roy thought for a moment. Then he tried to make his voice as Hughes-like as he could. "How amazing, Roy! I've always told you to get yourself a family and look how much you're smiling! Those boys will be so good for you! Just remember to take lots of pictures to preserve those precious moments!"

Ed began laughing so hard that Roy began worrying about his nose and back. "Your voice! Bwahahaha!" Ed wheezed.

"What's wrong with it?" Roy asked, trying to sound offended, but failing miserably because of Ed's contagious laughter.

"You tried to —! But you —! It sounded like —! BWAHAHAHAHA!"

"Was it really that bad?" Roy said, slightly disappointed, yet still grinning.

"Not really-hee-hee! It was just, coming from you—! Heehee!"

Roy just joined in on the laughter, still not sure about whether he should feel insulted or not.

"That has to be one of the greatest moments of my life! You mimicked Hughes! I got Colonel Mustang to mimic Hughes! BWAHAHA! Thanks, Roy! Heeheehee!"

Come to think of it, that was actually quite an achievement. Roy couldn't help but laugh along, though, as the kid's laughing was shaking both Roy and the bed. And god, was it contagious. Roy's eyes were watering with laughter before soon. They were both laughing so hard that they didn't notice Al coming inside the room until he spoke up.

"I bought you guys some pizza, I figured you needed some time to rest and talk things out."

Roy looked up at the large suit of armour that was indeed standing there with two large boxes of pizzas. It smelled heavenly, but Roy still couldn't get his laughter quite under control. "Hehe, thank you, Alphonse, I haha will pay you back la-hehehe-" Roy burst into another fit of giggles while Ed was shaking with silent laughter.

"What are you two laughing so much about?"

"I-haha mimicked Hughes!" The last word came out in a much higher pitch than he had been going for, which caused Al to chuckle and Roy and Ed to burst out laughing again.

It took them about seven minutes to calm down, mostly because both Roy and Ed were coughing quite a lot by now. And so Ed gently got himself untangled from Roy's grip, giving Roy the ability to get the pizzas and put the boxes between them.

"But, seriously, Al, my wallet is in my coat pocket. Go take the amount I owe you out of it."

"You don't have to, you've done plenty, I can pay for the damned pizzas," Ed said, taking a large bite.

"Ed, you two are my guests. Besides, how do you expect me to let you pay after our talk?"

"Come on, Roy, just let it slide. I'll call it a birthday present or something."

"Ed."

"Or repayment for the Hughes imitation. That kind of humour is pretty priceless."

Roy sighed, seeing the determined look in Ed's face. "Fine, but I won't be getting any presents!"

"Deal."

Both Roy and Ed were lying on the bed, propped up on their elbows, savouring the pizza.

"Al, you are a miracle on two legs, you truly are," Roy said.

"Thanks, Roy," Al said as he was about to leave the room.

Ed looked confused. "Have you two been talking while I'm asleep?"

"Yes. I care about you both, and so I told Al." Roy could hear a little chuckle at the other side of the now closed door.

"You did, huh? Cool. I guess I would have been kinda angry really if you only cared about me." Ed paused a bit. "And creeped out."

Roy chuckled.

"What is it about me caring about you that's so "creepy?""

"You've heard your voice, right? Imagine that voice telling you that it cares about you and not your much more lovable brother."

"Edward, your brother may be more socially endearing, but you're both equally loveable."

"That's something none of us would ever expect you to say," Ed said after snorting into his pizza slice.

"I guess it's not," Roy said, still smiling, though. He hadn't smiled and laughed so much in such a short time in a long while. It was pretty great.

"You really are smiling," Ed said, looking confusedly at him.

"Yes? Is there something wrong about it?"

"No, it's just that when you were imitating Hughes, you said "Roy, I've always told you to get yourself a family, and look at how much you're smiling!" You actually think of me and Al as your family?"

Roy paused. He hadn't really thought about it when he said it, but yes, he did.

"Yes. But it's been like that for quite a while now. My team is my family and no matter what Schiff thinks, you're still a part of my team."

_**But that's not what you meant when you said it, was it, Roy?**_

"Oh." Ed looked slightly disappointed.

"But you're also a part of my family in another way. A weird, adoptive sons sort of way."

"You know, you're turning into a softie. And here I thought you were always such a professional," Ed said teasingly after a few seconds.

Roy had to say that the thought was daunting. Here he was basically loading his little verbal sparring partner with weapons to use against him. But would there be so much verbal sparring? How different were things going to be between them? He had turned their relationship on its head. He could treat Al however he wanted, but Ed was his subordinate.

_We'll figure out, though._

So Roy pushed his thoughts away and instead ruffled Ed's hair. Ed looked at him funny, but didn't shy away either.

"You know, Roy, you're weird. I'll never figure you out," Ed said, looking up at his hand.

Roy couldn't do anything else than chuckle and ruffle his hair again. "Well, it's not so easy to figure you out either."

"Well … I'd say that you're off to a good start then."

"Good to hear that at least I'm succeeding at that." Roy had to say that he felt pretty useless. He may be looking after Ed while he was at his house, but fact was that he would probably be subjected to more beatings soon after he came back to the office. He was still failing to protect his subordinate, to protect his boy.

_Now there's a new thought…_

But Ed and Al were his boys, weren't they?

_Yep._

"Roy? What are you thinking about?" Ed was looking at him curiously.

Roy saw that the pizza boxes were now empty and he swiftly put them on the floor beside him. "Come here," he sighed, his arms open. He needed to give some comfort (and get some in return). His boy was hurt and was trapped in a fucking stupid situation and Roy was currently helpless to do anything but offer him a hug. So he would be damned if he didn't at least do that.

"Oh, okay?" Ed moved slowly but was soon once again lying with his head against his chest, Roy's chin resting on his head. "What's wrong, Roy?"

"I'm sorry that I haven't been able to get you out of Schiff's hands. I feel so useless, Ed."

"Hey, don't feel guilty that he's a bastard!" Ed said sternly, poking Roy's chest with a metal finger. "You've done plenty for me and Al these last few days."

"But I still haven't kept my promise."

"Fine, I'm all up for breaking into HQ and torching that typewriter."

Roy knew that he was trying to cheer him up, and smiled weakly. "As fun as that sounds, that's not my point. I promised that I would get you out, and so far I haven't been able to do anything."

"Hey! Don't say that! You stopped Schiff from killing me with that fucking whip!"

Roy felt a cold shiver of dread. If it really had been forty lashes, then Ed would probably have some serious nerve damage by now and had to say that it wasn't much of an exaggeration that Ed could have been killed by it. He hugged Ed tighter to him, trying not to put too much pressure on his back. He felt Ed's right arm rest against his back, squeezing him back.

"You know, Roy, I'll be fine. We'll figure it out. Some way or another, we'll get me out."

Roy listened to his newly awakened fatherly instincts and kissed Ed's forehead.

_I hope you're right kid, I really do._


	12. Chapter 12

**I've had a few people requesting that I get Al more involved as well, and I'm working on it, it's just that for some reason I find him harder to write. I hope to include him more and more, but I just have to get comfortable writing him first, otherwise that loveable kid is going to give me a writer's block.**

**Disclaimer: I do not own Fullmetal Alchemist.**

* * *

**Chapter twelve**

Roy woke up around eleven that night, needing to pee something bad.

Really, really bad.

Ed was still curled up against his chest, sleeping peacefully, not a care in the world. Roy really didn't want to let go of him, but he had to, and so he sighed deeply and snaked his way out from Ed's sleeping form and tucked him in before he practically ran for the bathroom.

Having relieved his bladder, Roy decided that getting out of his uniform was really a good idea at the moment, and so he went inside his room and found his pyjamas instead. He hung the uniform up carefully before he pulled on his chequered green and grey pyjamas bottoms and a white undershirt. He was thirsty as hell, it had been quite a few hours since the last time he drank something and so he went downstairs, figuring that bringing a glass for Ed was pretty much a must. He filled his water to the brim, practically drank it all in one gulp, filled it again, drank that up too and filled it for a third time, finally ready to bring it upstairs with him.

Then he heard clanking from the basement and decided that he should really have a talk with Alphonse. He had talked a lot to the older Elric, figuring things out, but he really needed a longer talk with Al too. He was just as important after all. He went down the stairs and into the basement, knocking slightly on the wall as he entered the room.

"Oh, hi, Roy. Is there something wrong?"

"No, I just wanted a word with you, Al." Roy went over to the couch facing where Al was sitting on the floor, four books spread around him. He sat down with a sigh, wondering where to start. It was an odd thing. He had generally thought that he sort of liked Alphonse better these last two years, seeing as how the kid was well behaved, had a much better sense of time and was all in all a lot more reliable. Yet now, Roy couldn't really get himself to deny that him and Ed had not only bonded over their differences, but also their striking similarities. Which meant that Roy was afraid that he was sort of leaving Al behind. Question was, what was he supposed to say?

"Roy? Did I do something wrong?"

"No, Al. It's just hard for me to figure out what to think right now. I've had a lot of thoughts and feelings popping up that I haven't really considered before ... How do you feel about how things have gone?"

"Well, I'm really happy that Brother has a grownup looking after him. He needs someone like you. I think that you understand how Brother feels better than most, you just haven't considered it before now."

"Maybe ... Listen, Al, about the pizzas … I hope you didn't feel like we were pushing you away … Or that we were being inconsiderate."

"Oh, no! I always leave when Brother is eating because otherwise he feels bad about it. I don't want him to feel guilty for eating, so I leave him alone. I don't mind the fact that you two can eat. I always tell Ed that he should enjoy things for me because it makes me happy to see him happy."

Roy couldn't help but chuckle slightly. It was such an Al thing to think like that. The boy was such a compassionate person. "That is a very mature and kind way to think."

"Thanks."

Roy sighed as he scratched his head awkwardly. "Uh … So, Al … how would you like it if I got a bit more involved with you and your brother's life?"

"How do you mean?"

"Well, for one, you two are welcome to stay here with me as long as you want. And I'd like to help you out some more. You know, working a bit harder on finding leads on the Stone. That sort of thing. And I'm always here to talk, you've got my home number, right?" Roy felt awkward as hell about this. He was basically imposing on their lives. Maybe they didn't want anything like that? Maybe Al was content the way things were and Ed would be too embarrassed about today to ever admit to actually have said the things he had done? What if it was all just a moment of weakness and Roy was putting much more into it than he should? Maybe he had destroyed their working relationship completely and had purely been selfish?

"That sounds really nice, thank you, Roy."

Roy had hardly registered the answer, he was so caught up in his worries. "It does? You're sure?"

"Yes, and I'm sure Brother feels the same way."

"Oh, good. Thank you Alphonse."

"For what?"

"For giving me a chance. I mean, I know that with your history, trusting a male figure must be hard."

"Honestly, Roy? You got Brother to finally open up for the first time in years. I could see he had been crying and rather a lot. I'm happy you made that happen. I've always thought Brother to be an idiot for just closing himself off like that, so thanks."

Roy didn't really know how to respond to that.

"Oh, and no, we don't have your home number," Alphonse said, giving Roy something to do. He stood up and went over to his desk, grabbing a piece of paper and a pen. He wrote down the number and handed it to Alphonse. "Right, there you go."

"Thanks."

* * *

It was about an hour later that Roy went back upstairs with a new glass of water for Ed. He had had a nice long talk with Al and was pretty pleased with how the day had gone considering the way it had started out.

_Thump._

Roy froze, his hand on the doorknob. There was another _thump_ and then Roy heard muffled shouting. He slammed the door open, finding three people in the room, one of them holding a syringe, the other one sitting on Edward's back, revealing Ed's wrists duct taped together in a way that prevented him from clapping his hands. The man was holding his hands in front of Ed's mouth in order to silence him. Both attackers were wearing all black and had their mouths covered.

"GET THE HELL AWAY FROM HIM!" Roy shouted, running forwards and smashing the glass of water against the head of the intruder with the syringe. The man went down, but the other one had already lifted Ed up on his shoulder, heading for the open window. Ed was shouting profanities at the top of his lungs. Roy leapt forwards, tackling the guy to the ground, hoping that Ed didn't get hurt as he came crashing to the floor. Roy felt something sharp pierce his right calf and he whipped around, finding the second assailant having stabbed the syringe into Roy's leg. Roy kicked the guy in the face, knocking him out. He felt his senses dulling and knew that whatever was in that needle was supposed to knock him out. The other attacker was getting up again and moved towards him. "You're not taking Ed," Roy slurred, covering the swearing boy with his body, already feeling his eyelids getting heavier as he glared up at the attacker.

Roy heard clanking coming from the stairs and the last thing he saw was the assailant lifting his unconscious comrade onto his shoulder before disappearing out the window.

Then everything turned black.

_Snap-burn-kill, snap-burn-kill, snap-burn-kill._

_That was the way it went. All the time. It was all just snapping and burning and killing. _

_Over and over again._

_Roy's uniform was soaked with blood, making him smell of iron. Everywhere around him was screaming. Always screaming. _

_The flames were eating up the corpses around him, turning them to ash._

_Snap-burn-kill._

_Men, women, children, they were all dead. All running. All dying._

_Roy was killing them. _

_A boy was fleeing ahead of him, screaming for his brother. His right arm and left leg were missing and the boy was hopping forwards with the help of a crutch. Roy kept following him. The blonde plait was bouncing on the boy's back with each hop. _

_"__Alphonse! Alphonse! He's gonna burn us! We need to get away!"_

_Roy didn't want to kill him, he really didn't._

_Yet he kept following him. _

_He followed the boy all the way into a blind alley where he leaned against the wall, watching Roy with scared, golden eyes._

_"__Please! Please don't kill us! You said you'd look after us! You said you cared! We trusted you!"_

_Roy watched as his hand moved upwards. He couldn't control it._

_Snap-burn-kill._

_The boy was lying on the ground, charred beyond recognition._

_There was an enraged roar behind him, and suddenly he was slammed against a wall to his right._

_Roy turned around. There was a suit of armour walking towards him. It picked Roy up by his throat and slammed him against a wall. "YOU KILLED BROTHER! YOU SAID WE COULD TRUST YOU! YOU SAID WE WERE SAFE WITH YOU!"_

_He hit Roy again and again until he was sure he would die. He lifted his hand and snapped._

_But something was wrong, Roy was being engulfed in the flames too. He too was screaming in pain and in fear. It was agonising beyond belief._

SMACK.

Roy woke up with a start to find himself lying in his bed, his left cheek stinging. Ed was leaning over him, looking worried and a little bit angry. "Finally! I thought you were dying or something!"

Roy looked up at him groggily. "Wha-what happened?

Roy moved to rub his eyes, but noticed that Ed was leaning his hands on his shoulders and thought better of it. Roy got a bit of his bearings and noticed that he was covered in sweat and that he had what felt like a washcloth on his forehead.

"You got drugged and you've been having fevers and nightmares all night! Al ran off to get Lieutenant Hawkeye when you started screaming just now."

The night's events came back to Roy in a flash. His eyes slammed open. "What happened to you?! Are you alright? They didn't hurt you, did they?"

Satisfied that Roy was properly awake, Ed sighed and removed his hands from Roy's shoulders. "You stopped them. Don't know who they were or what they wanted with me, but they were professionals. Grabbed me while I was sleeping and duct taped my hands and feet before I knew what had happened. They didn't get to hurt me because you showed up. How did you know what was happening? They hardly made a noise."

"I was bringing you a glass of water."

"Oh." Ed seemed surprised.

"You thought I just left you after you fell asleep? I said I wasn't going to just leave you and your brother."

Ed looked a mixture of relieved and embarrassed.

Roy just sighed and sat up, pulling Ed into a hug. After a few seconds, the hug was returned a bit awkwardly. "I'm sorry I scared you. I should have told you when I left even though I was coming back." Roy put a hand on Ed's head and the boy relaxed into the hug.

The bedroom door was opened and Hawkeye peeked inside. Ed froze. Hawkeye closed the door quickly with a knowing nod.

"Who was that?" Ed said.

"Hawkeye, she won't tell anyone."

Ed slid out of the hug, blushing.

Roy sighed and put his hands on Ed's shoulders. "Listen, she won't tell anyone and judging from her expression, she knew already. Remember that she probably knows me better than I do. She already knows how I care for you and Al, so it doesn't matter."

"But still. I fucking hugged you in front of her!"

"Ed, it doesn't matter. She's dangerously good at keeping secrets and she won't tell a living soul."

"But I don't wanna seem like a little kid that goes running to the nearest father figure he can find!"

"Ed, you don't. You and your brother are probably the strongest people I know. You're not weak for wanting to relieve yourself of your burden from time to time."

"Ah, fuck. Now you're starting with that psychology crap again? I've had enough of that for a month." There was a little bit of a teasing smile on Ed's face though.

Roy smiled knowingly and slumped back onto the bed. He looked up at Ed and sighed. "Come here."

Ed raised his eyebrows. His face was still a bruised mess and it made Roy's stomach clench. It was very easy, really: someone had hurt Ed = Ed was hurt = Ed should get a hug. Roy guessed it was a parental thing.

Ed got off the bed however and instead went over and locked the door. He then went back to the bed and lay down next to Roy, accepting the hug and giving one back. It was a bit funny the way Ed was acting more like they were having an affair rather than a budding father/son relationship. But then Roy guessed that it would probably feel like he was cheating on his anti-father instincts that he had had for the last ten years, so maybe it wasn't that far off in a way.

"Well, Ed, would you mind telling me what's been going on these last few hours?"


	13. Chapter 13

**Good news, people! I have the rest of the plot kind of sort of figured out, so that hopefully means more frequent updates!**

**Disclaimer: I do not own Fullmetal Alchemist.**

* * *

**Chapter thirteen**

Riza was sitting in bed, reading a romance novel that Rebecca had forced her to read. So far she had to say that it was a bit too predictable and not entirely convincing. After reading her way through three chapters mainly dedicated to describing the hero's chest hairs, Riza put the book down with an exasperated sigh. She put the book back in the drawer in her nightstand before she turned off the light and lay down in the pillows, sinking into them while letting sleep overtake her.

She hadn't been asleep for long before the phone on her nightstand began ringing. She picked it up. "Riza Hawkeye speaking."

"Oh, Lieutenant! I'm so sorry I woke you but we need some help!" It was Alphonse Elric and judging by the urgency in his voice, something was clearly wrong.

"What's going on, Al?"

"Brother was attacked and Roy stopped them, but he got drugged in the process. I'm afraid that they might come back for Brother and I think Roy has a fever. We can't get him to wake up. Should we call an ambulance?"

"Calm down, Alphonse, I'll be right over. Where is your brother now?"

"He's looking after Roy, trying to keep his temperature down. I've shut all the windows so that nobody can get inside again, at least I hope so."

"Very good, Al, I'm going to hang up now, I'll be there in twenty minutes."

"Thank you, Lieutenant."

Riza hung up and quickly changed into a black sweater and trousers, packing five guns with her for safety, before she went into the car and drove.

She knew Roy had been worried that something like this might happen while Ed and Al were staying with him, although he hadn't really considered himself getting taken out of commission. She just hoped that the attackers wouldn't return before Riza got there. She knew that Al was a highly capable alchemist and a frankly amazing fighter, so she shouldn't really worry, but with Edward injured and the Colonel unconscious, it could still mean that there was a risk of them being injured.

She jumped out of the car as she parked it in the driveway and walked up to the house. She brought out her key to Roy's house, he'd given it to her as a precaution for these kind of events, and unlocked the door.

"It's Lieutenant Hawkeye!" she announced, trying to avoid startling them. She locked the door behind her as she heard heavy clanking from upstairs. Alphonse appeared a second later, looking over the banister. "Oh, Lieutenant! Please, we're upstairs!"

Riza followed him into the main bedroom which contained a heavily sweating Roy Mustang lying asleep in bed and an anxious, dizzy Edward Elric in his boxers and tank top wiping the sweat away with a washcloth. Riza could see red marks around his left wrist and right ankle. Someone had obviously tried restraining him very forcefully. She felt a slight itch to pull the trigger. "Lieutenant Hawkeye! Thanks for coming! Do you know what we should do?" It was one of the very few times she had seen Edward showing fear.

Riza recognised the symptoms that Roy was displaying, and judging by the marks on Ed's wrist and ankle, the attackers were from a group that they were currently investigating. "Edward, he will just have to ride it out. It looks to be the same drug that the group we're investigating at the moment uses when they kidnap people. Am I right in assuming that they were after you?" Riza kept her voice steady and calm, although she was still boiling with anger on the inside. Edward nodded. She turned to Alphonse. "Please phone the rest of the team and tell them that the Black Shadows attacked Edward and the Colonel."

"Okay." Alphonse disappeared downstairs.

She turned back to Edward. "Please tell me everything that happened, Ed."

"They came in through the window, don't even know how they opened it, and tried to grab me while I slept. They were quick and definitely pros. They also knew who they were attacking, because the first thing they did was bind my wrists so that I couldn't clap. I tried kicking them, but that didn't work out and the one holding his hand in front of my mouth threw me to the floor, knocking the wind out of me. Next thing I knew, my legs were tied together too and the bastard covering my mouth was pressing his knee down on my back. He must have known about the flogging, because he said "hurts, doesn't it?" straight into my ear before he dug his knee deeper into my back. Next moment, Roy was there and he attacked them, but he didn't get far before he got drugged. He managed to knock one of them out, though, so when they heard Al coming up the stairs, the remaining guy threw the other one over his shoulder and disappeared out the window. Then Al came and freed me and got Roy into his bed and phoned you. He got a fever almost immediately." Ed looked a bit ashamed of having been rendered so helpless, but Riza didn't blame him.

Ed's feet shook a bit where he stood and Riza put a hand on his shoulder, forcing him to sit down on the edge of the bed. "Edward, how is your back?" Riza was worried that some of the wounds had been reopened due to the harsh treatment, and there was nothing she could do for Roy at the time, they still didn't have an antidote for the drug and it didn't have any lasting effects.

"Don't know. It hurts, of course." Ed didn't look up at her. Riza was very proud that she was one of the few people who could actually get almost anyone to answer her honestly, and if they didn't, she had guns.

"Let me see, Ed."

Ed blushed slightly, but turned around so that Riza could lift the back of his tank top, revealing several red stains that had nearly soaked through the bandages. "Edward, we need to redress this." And so she removed the tank top before she left to get the supplies she needed.

* * *

Ed felt awkward. And he felt weak. And his back was hurting like hell, but he let Hawkeye work on redressing his back where he sat on a stool in Roy's bedroom. "So who are these Shadow jerks?"

"The Black Shadow is a group that specialises in assassinations and kidnappings. They used to be based in Central, but recently they've expanded to East as well. We were given the case right before you were reassigned. The drug Roy is currently under the influence of is the one they use during the kidnappings. They cause fevers and nightmares but nothing more. The fevers are never dangerously high. The kidnappings are usually related to ransoms and the victims are always returned in that drugged state after the set amount has been paid. There have been cases of kidnappings involving punishment of other members and their families and the results haven't been pretty. The victims in those cases, as well as the members that were punished, were all found dead after a longer period of torture. If these people are after you, I can only guess that it's a warning for us to stay away."

"Or they wanna laugh in your faces by torturing me," Ed said gloomily, wincing slightly as the Lieutenant pressed a particularly sore spot on his back.

"Yes. Which is why I'm very glad you and Al called me over here. We'll have the team here within the next half hour and we'll be able to properly guard you."

_Great. So much for a week off._

"But how did they know which room I was sleeping in?"

"I don't know, Edward, but they tend to find out this kind of information. I'll have Fuery search the house for hidden microphones and cameras, and then we'll be moving you three to the military dorms from tomorrow on."

"So now I need a babysitter?"

"Edward, if you'd seen those bodies, you wouldn't be questioning us."

Ed shivered slightly. There was a kind of deadness to Hawkeye's voice that he'd only heard during the brief mentions of the Ishbalan war. He decided that he'd be very pleased not to end up as a tortured corpse.

"But you said the three of us? Why are you putting Roy under protection too?"

"Because he is the leader of our team and they were obviously targeting him as well by taking you. We're not taking any chances."

"So are the rest of you moving into the dorms too?"

"I think we'll have to."

"Great."

"Right, Ed, you're done."

She stood up and helped him back into the tank top.

"Thanks, Lieutenant."

Ed went over to Roy and looked at him. He was sweating and groaning occasionally. Ed grabbed the washcloth and put it into the bowl of water that Al had placed on the nightstand. After wringing the excess water out of the washcloth, Ed placed it on Roy's forehead. Ed then walked a bit unsteadily over to the windows and clapped his hands, transmuting the wall and floor to cover them in order to offer some extra protection.

"Ed. No. Don't. No. Edward, I'm sorry," Roy said, a look of agony crossing his face.

Ed looked at Hawkeye slightly confused.

"Edward, talk to him. It's the only thing that helps."

"Uh-uh, you know him better than I do."

Hawkeye put a hand on Ed's shoulder. "Listen, Edward, I know that look on his face. He's dreaming about Ishbal. He needs someone who weren't there to talk him out of it. Besides, it's you he's calling for. I'll be out in the hallway so you just shout if something's wrong."

She then removed her hand and went out of the bedroom, closing the door behind her.

"I'm sorry, Ed. Please don't hate me. I can't. I don't."

Ed moved over to Roy's side and sat down. Ed was frankly thankful to be sitting again, the room was spinning slightly. He was still unsure about what the hell he was supposed to do.

"Please stop. I don't. I never. Don't. Ed!"

He saw that Roy was weakly snapping his fingers and Ed grasped his hand in his, prying the fingers apart to stop them snapping that way. "Hey, Roy, whatever you're seeing, it's not real. I'm fine. Al's fine. You're just having a nightmare."

"'M sorry. I don't want. I swear!"

"It's not real. It's not real."

"Please don't die. I don't want you to. I can't. Stop it!"

"I'm all right, Roy. I'm not dead."

"Ed. Please! Don't wanna. Can't! Ed!"

Roy was getting more and more agitated. "ED! No! Don't! PLEASE!"

"Listen, Roy! It's not real! Whatever the hell you're seeing, it's all drugged up bullshit!"

"Al, please. I didn't mean. I never wanted him to. NO!" Tears ran down from the corners of Roy's eyes.

Ed didn't know what to do. He just lay down beside him and hugged him. Roy was sounding so desperate. So scared. And so tortured.

And Ed knew the feeling so well from his own nightmares. From the nightmare he'd created three years ago.

"Listen, Roy, I'm not dead. You haven't killed me." Ed felt weird that the thought of Roy killing him brought the man so much anguish. That it made the immovable, invincible Flame Alchemist cry. It was in a sense comforting, but it was still disturbing to listen to the man pleading with some unknown force as he killed Ed over and over again.

And so the night went by. Al joined him in trying to keep Roy calm, but it didn't seem to work.

Ed just hoped that the man would wake up soon, because he didn't want to listen to him screaming anymore.


	14. Chapter 14

**Disclaimer: I do not own Fullmetal Alchemist**

* * *

**Chapter fourteen**

"Then Fuery found microphones in every room of the house which means that those guys knows about Al too and that they heard the entire conversation yesterday," Ed finished.

Roy looked at him and sighed. Ed was lying with his head on Roy's right arm and his face betrayed just how much this night's events must have stressed him out. Roy pulled him in for a hug and kissed the top of his head. "I'm sorry."

"For what?"

"About leaving you and Al alone like that. For scaring you."

"Ah shit. I just thought about something," Ed groaned.

"What?"

"The way you've been screaming, the whole team knows now."

"About what?"

"That whole parent thing. I didn't think about that! Fuck."

Roy suddenly felt a bit of fear gripping his heart. He placed his left hand on Ed's cheek and looked down at him, staring into the confused golden eyes. "Ed, what have I been saying?"

"It's not important. I know you were having a nightmare." Ed was looking away, confirming Roy's suspicions.

"You know what I was dreaming, don't you?"

"Uh-huh, but it's okay, you clearly didn't enjoy it. Nightmares show you the stuff you don't want to happen."

"So you've been listening to me for eight hours as I repeatedly killed you, and you say it's okay?"

"Yes. It really is. You didn't want to."

"It isn't, Ed, it isn't one bit. How much did you hear? What did I say?" Roy felt a kind of shameful desperation growing in his voice. He needed to know how much he had said in order to make this right. Otherwise this whole relationship between them would crumble. "Please tell me, Ed."

"It's not important."

"It is, goddammit! Tell me!" Roy was getting desperate which made him sound angry instead.

That wasn't the way to do it. Ed slapped the hand on his cheek away and glared at him angrily, although betraying some hurt as well. "**You wanna know what I heard? All of it! I listened as you broke your promise over and over and over again! I heard what you dreamt I said right before you killed me! Or Al! Or both at once! And I heard the snap of your fingers all through the night because I couldn't get you to stop that while also keeping you from hurting yourself!** **Are you happy now?! Do you feel better?!**" Ed began shifting his weight to move away from Roy and get out of the bed. "**Why the hell did you have to ruin it with making me tell you?! You should've just left it alone!**" Ed sat up and slammed Roy's hand away when he tried to grab Ed's arm. He left the bed and moved over to the door, but Roy was on his feet before he had even taken two shaky steps. He grabbed Ed's right shoulder and turned him around, pulling him into a hug.

"Stop it." Ed wasn't fighting against him, knowing that with the shape that Ed was currently in, he would have no chance of winning.

"No, Ed. I'm not letting you go."

"**Why not? When you kept pushing me to tell you something that you knew would only ruin whatever this was, you gave up on it!**"

"How? I never said I did."

"**Because now when you look at me your eyes are filled with pain and fear because you're bound by a promise you're too afraid of breaking! We can't build anything on that! So I'm just freeing you from that promise so that we can go back to our dysfunctional bickering instead! See! You're free! You don't owe me anything! Now let me go!**"

"No, Ed. I don't feel bound by that promise. And I would never let you go in this state."

"**That's it! That's the problem right there! You pity me! I thought you understood, but I was wrong! I was just a stupid kid all over again! So stop rubbing it in!**"

Roy went quiet, still holding onto him. "Ed, this isn't pity. It's love." Roy said it without thinking. "I pushed you because of love, not out of pity. I didn't want you to carry the burden of hearing my nightmare because I don't want you to misinterpret my fear. My promise to you is a privilege, not a burden." Roy spoke softly. In a sense he was relieved that that was Ed's problem.

It was Ed's turn to go quiet. "Damn you! Damnyoudamnyou**damnyou!**" Ed began hitting Roy with his automail fist, although he was too restrained to actually hurt him. "Don't you dare say that if it isn't true!"

"It is true. I love you two." Roy had said a lot of surprising things these last twenty-four hours, but this takes the cake. So this is what came out of his mouth when he stopped thinking practically? When he didn't care about tactics but acted on pure, selfish emotion?

"Dammit! Why can't this just be easy? Why do you have to make it so damn hard?"

Roy was slowly pulling Ed back to the bed. The kid needed rest, especially after the night he had had. Roy reached the bed and sat down slowly, moving his hands up on Ed's shoulders to see how he was doing. Tears were streaming down his face, his left eye still swollen shut. Next moment he had thrown his arms around Roy's neck and was pressing his right cheek against his. Roy just closed his eyes and hugged him back.

"I'm sorry I scared you. I'm so sorry."

"So tell me what you were afraid of if it wasn't about breaking your promise."

"I'm afraid of burning you. I'm afraid that you two would have been better off without me in your lives. I've done some really bad things, Ed. I'm afraid of losing you because of it."

"Oh."

That was all Ed said for a very long time. Then. "Don't get drugged again."

Then they just started laughing.

"I'll try," Roy said, ruffling Ed's hair.

"Good."

"I guess we should go downstairs. We really should move you as quickly as possible. But we need to change your bandages first."

"Hawkeye already did it. They needed redressing after that bastard kneed me in the back."

"They didn't hurt you any further, right?" Roy felt anger surging through him. He never liked it when people hurt his subordinates, but you had to expect some injuries as a military officer. But now, with the way things were between him and Ed, he felt like burning anyone just for slapping him.

"Don't think so." Ed did however seem to hide his left hand from him. Roy grabbed his arm, revealing that the wrist was swollen and bruised.

"They did that?"

"It's nothing, it's just a sprain. It hardly hurts."

Roy immediately looked at the kid's ankle too, but apart from the purple handprint, it looked fine. Ed's wrist did not. In fact it looked like it hurt like hell and that Ed was being stubborn again.

Roy sighed and stood up, placing a hand on Ed's shoulder in order to steady the boy. "Come on, we're finding the compression bandage. That's not a mild sprain and you know it, Ed."

"I don't need –"

"It's not optional." Roy put his hand under Ed's elbow in order to support him over to the bathroom where he led him to the toilet seat and ordered him to sit. He then opened the drawer under the sink containing medical supplies and found the compression bandage neatly rolled up. He went over to Ed and gestured towards his flesh hand. Ed raised it and soon enough he had a neatly bandaged wrist.

Roy then had an idea. Ed looked dead on his feet and hardly in the mood for a change of clothes. "I'll be back in a minute."

He went back into his room, finding the old box of clothes from his childhood and dug until he found what he was looking for. He returned to the bathroom and folded out the old, black dressing gown. The chest pocket had RM embroidered in gold lettering on the left side of the chest. "Come on, stand up."

Ed did as he was told and was soon wearing the dressing gown that fitted the boy perfectly. Roy didn't say anything about it being from when he was ten. Roy then picked the larger one from where it lay neatly folded in the shelf to the right. He had just had it cleaned and had left it there ever since. Roy pulled it on before he looked at himself and a curious Ed in the mirror.

"Why do you have two? And one that fits me perfectly no less?"

"Actually, I have six. My adoptive mother has given them to me at regular intervals ever since the one that you're wearing. She buys them from a special tailor. They're actually high quality garments."

"But we can't go downstairs looking like this! What will the others think?"

"Edward, they've heard me shouting all night, I hardly think that it will surprise them that much."

"But _matching_ bathrobes?"

"Or we could wait for you to shower, wash your hair, dry your automail, and basically postpone breakfast for another hour?"

"You know, you may be a lot more okay now, but you're still a manipulative bastard." Ed was looking up at him with a dissatisfied smirk.

"Yes. And you're still my stubborn brat." Roy smirked as he ruffled his hair and pulled him in for a hug which Ed returned with a grunt and a "you're doing it again."

"I know, it's intentional."

"Bastard," Ed said and hugged him tighter.

They stood there like that for at least five minutes before Roy sighed deeply. "I think we have to get moving. The sooner we get you moved to a safer location, the better."

"Nuh." Ed didn't let go.

"Your rhetorical gifts never cease to amaze me." Roy smiled and put a hand behind Ed's head, gently stroking his hair. It was funny how things that would usually just have annoyed him before, now just made him smile. Probably because there was a level of vulnerability to the kid that hadn't been there before.

"Damn right."

They kept standing there for another five minutes before Ed's stomach growled loudly. "Right, we need to feed you," Roy concluded, pulling out of the hug, but holding Ed around his shoulder so that he was pressed against Roy's side. He really didn't want to let him go. Roy was still shaken by tonight's nightmares and wanted to just hold onto Ed and keep him safe from harm after watching him die so many times.

Because tonight had been hell, absolute hell.

The interesting thing now would be to see how Ed would react around him and the rest of the team after what had happened between the two of them.

And so Roy led him slowly down the stairs and into the kitchen, Ed still pressed against his side. They found the rest of the team sitting at the kitchen table, apart from Alphonse, who was standing in order to save some space.

Roy saw the others look up questioningly at them and Ed blushed, instinctively starting to move away from Roy, but Roy just held him tighter. "Support for his dizziness," he explained, looking at the others as if daring them to contradict him.

Havoc and Breda smirked and Falman was … Falman, although he seemed to be smiling just a teensy bit, but that could just be a trick of the light. Hawkeye looked as professional as ever, but unlike the others, Roy was able to actually have full conversations with her just by looking into her eyes.

_"__Good to see that you've sorted things out."_

_"__I know."_

Roy looked down at Ed with a little smile. "Come on, kid, let's get you some breakfast."

"Actually, sir, Fuery is out getting some Xingese take away for lunch," Hawkeye said.

Ed seemed to light up. Roy sighed. "Take away three times in one week isn't good for you, Ed, so you better not get used to it. When we're back you'll be eating healthy food, you understand?"

"Aw, come on, Roy! Not even once a week?" Ed was looking up at him pleadingly.

"Once a month. My house, my rules."

Ed got ready to retort something, but then his cheeks reddened and his eyes widened in horror. As did Roy's.

Then came the sniggers from Havoc and Breda.

Ed bowed his head in shame. Roy pulled Ed towards him and let the kid hide his face by pressing it against his chest. He then looked at Havoc and Breda who were looking frightened, but still unable to hide their laughter.

"The next person who laughs has to work two hours overtime every day for a month," Roy said sternly.

The two Second Lieutenants went quiet immediately.

"I'm ruined. My reputation as a bad ass tough guy is ruined," Ed moaned, slightly muffled by Roy's dressing gown. "Fourteen years. _Ruined_."


	15. Chapter 15

**Disclaimer: I do not own Fullmetal Alchemist.**

* * *

**Chapter fifteen**

They reached the military dorms and they got out of the car. Al volunteered to carry their luggage and so they were soon inside the relatively small apartment. Roy had figured that it was actually better not to pull rank to get one of the larger ones in order to have a smaller and less conspicuous place to guard. That left them with a couch and a chair as the living room area as well as a desk and another chair, a small kitchen with the essentials and a small table with two chairs, a small bathroom and a relatively small bedroom with two beds. All in all, it did the trick although it would be a bit cramped.

Fuery was there within minutes, searching with one of his many gadgets to make sure that the area was microphone and camera free. It was a good thing he did. They found a camera in the kitchen and in the bedroom and a total of four microphones as well.

Roy took the suitcases and carried them into the bedroom. Ed was hovering in the doorway as Al was having an in depth conversation with Fuery on how shelters for stray cats should be. He placed the suitcases on the floor and opened his own to retrieve the bed sheets he had brought for them. He had brought a deep red one for Ed and a brown one for himself. "Right, which bed do you want?" Roy asked.

"Doesn't matter, you can just choose." Ed didn't really seem to be too interested in what was going on.

Roy turned around, studying his face. He seemed a bit nervous.

Roy stood up, walked over to the bedroom door and closed it so that they couldn't be overheard. Ed looked up at him surprised. "Alright, no one can hear you, what's wrong?"

"How can you be sure? We've been constantly listened to for the last few days at least! How can we know that those bastards haven't found some way to listen in on us right now? That they're not just sitting somewhere, laughing at us?" Ed was clearly stressed. "They know about Al and they know about us trying to bring Mom back! What if they tell someone? What if Al ends up as some kind of lab animal and I can't stop it because I'm facing a firing squad? How can you take this so calmly? I probably shouldn't even be here, but running for my life in order to protect my brother!"

"Edward, it will be okay. Whatever evidence they have obtained has been so illegally and won't be admissible in a courtroom. The only thing they can do is spread rumours, but they will just be like the other stupid ones that are running around. You'll be fine, I swear."

"I really hope you're right. It's just so creepy, you know. Everything we said yesterday, these bastards know about now. It was supposed to be private. I don't want people to know that I'm so weak." Ed whispered the last part.

Roy just pulled him in for a hug. "You're not weak, Ed. You're human. And you're finally allowed to be a bit more of the child you are."

"But I'm not a kid."

"Ed, you're fourteen, that makes you a kid."

"Shut up."

"Nope."

Ed growled and then returned the hug.

Roy was of course scared by the fact that these people knew everything that had been going on in his home, especially with the way Ed and Al had become a point of weakness for him in an even bigger way now. He just hugged the boy tighter, hoping he could keep him safe.

"I'm not ready for people to know about this. I don't want them to."

"That's okay, Ed." Roy did, however, kind of hope that it wouldn't always be like that. That there would be a time were it was okay for Ed and Al to be his boys. But Roy guessed that it would always be a bit odd. It would always be odd when it was a father/son relationship that had begun with a twelve-year-old child joining the military and Roy not really being old enough to be his father. But Roy would take what he could get. He was still just happy that he was getting this much. He had actually earned Edward Elric's trust. The kid trusted him to be a parental figure for him even after their biological father left them the way he did. Roy was actually just honoured that he was able to hug Ed this way.

"Roy, there's just one thing that I still can't get over. Those guys weren't just trying to take me, they tried to hurt me. They wanted to hurt me." Ed pulled out of the hug and looked up at Roy.

Roy was confused. And of course angry. Ed had had plenty of people hurting him before, so why would he be upset about it now? "What do you mean, Ed?"

"The way the guy spoke when he dug his knee into my back, "hurts, doesn't it?", he was enjoying it on a personal level. Like there was something he wanted revenge for. I haven't run across these jerks before, have I?"

Roy hadn't known about what the attacker had said, and it made him angry as hell. "Not that I know of."

"Can I join you at the office today? I'd like to look through my earlier cases to see what I've missed."

"Ed, you shouldn't be working. You're injured and should be getting plenty of rest."

"So you'd be completely fine about leaving me here on my own with only Al for protection?" Ed smirked, knowing that he was pushing Roy's buttons.

"Of course not, but I was thinking that I should be doing my work from here."

"But you wanna catch these shadow jerks as quickly as possible, right? Because, if so, you'd get much more work done from the office where you have all the reports and case files you need. Besides, if I came with you, there'd be a lot more soldiers about which means better protection."

"And I thought I was supposed to be the manipulative one…" Roy sighed.

"Come on, you know what the answer is…" Ed teased, smirking.

"Fine. But I'm not letting you out of my sight, is that understood? Right now you're under my protection as the leader of this case. Especially since you're not officially on my team and have no claims to look at the case files." Roy was worried about the boy, especially since he wanted to get more involved with the case. He had seen enough pictures to know that he wanted to be like his shadow now that these bastards had their eye on the kid. He never wanted to see Ed in that condition.

"Deal."

Roy sighed and ruffled his hair as Ed grinned up at him.

"Well, I'm taking the bed to the right. After I'm done, I suppose we should head for the office."

And so Roy put on the bed sheets while he kept talking to Ed. "But don't worry, Ed, we'll figure this out. You're not getting taken by them."

"Of course I won't! They just used dirty tricks, sneaking up on me like that while I slept," Ed mumbled.

Roy turned around, looking at him. "Don't tell me you're ashamed, Ed?"

In answer, Ed's unbruised cheek reddened.

"You're ashamed that a group of highly trained kidnappers managed to get one over on you because you were asleep as well as having an injured back, broken nose and a concussion? Come on, Ed, you're smarter than that."

Ed just looked away and Roy put down the duvet he was currently working on with a sigh. He took a couple of steps over to the embarrassed teen and put his left hand on his right cheek, turning his face towards him. "Ed, remember, they got one over on me too. They weren't the average low-lifes you usually have to deal with. I've been working on this case for over a week and these guys are professionals. They've been in Central for the past five years without ever getting caught and now they've branched out to East City as well. I don't doubt that you could have beaten them to a pulp if you had been awake and unhurt, but you weren't. It's nothing to be ashamed about."

Ed looked up at him, his head leaning slightly into Roy's hand. "When did you begin with all this psychology crap? It's annoying." There was a teasing smile tugging at the kid's lips, however.

"Good question. I'm just working with my gut."

"Then your gut is weird."

"Thanks, kid." Roy rolled his eyes.

Ed moved forwards and hugged him. "Anytime."

Roy was slightly worried. The kid definitely knew how to push his buttons already, especially since Roy had immediately put his arms around him too.

Then they both began laughing.

* * *

Ed was sitting on Roy's desk, swinging his legs back and forth as Havoc and Breda carried an extra desk inside the inner office. Ed hadn't expected Roy to be so literal about wanting to keep an eye on him all the time, but obviously he was. He also hadn't allowed Ed to help carry the desk, so here he was, watching the slight entertainment it brought to watch the two men struggle. It wasn't that Ed disliked them, not at all. It was just that Havoc had opened the door on their hug with a "are you done soon, Boss?" only to have his eyes widen and then drop his cigarette, setting fire to the bedroom rug so that they now had a small apartment smelling like burnt carpet without being able to open any windows to let the smell out because of the imminent danger of attacks.

Al was back in the apartment with Falman and Fuery to make sure that nobody was breaking in while they were away, which left the rest of the team to deal with the ongoing case.

The desk was placed next to Roy's and with Hawkeye having carried a chair inside, Ed got off the desk carefully and was led by Roy over to the chair. Ed knew he was still dizzy, but it was still odd for him to be taken care of by Roy this way. Hawkeye dumped a lot of folders on top of the desk while Roy gave him a pen and some paper and so Ed was good to go.

He picked up the first folder, containing information from Central on the Black Shadows and their activities there.

_All right. Let's find out what these bastards want with me._


	16. Chapter 16

**I'm back after my writer's block and I even had this chapter betaed just to make sure that it turned out okay! So here's my extra long comeback and I swear I'll try not to take too long before posting the next chapter!**

**So thank you so much for your help, Animegirl4466!**

**And this disclaimer counts for the rest of the story: I do not own FMA.**

* * *

**Chapter sixteen**

Ed was getting frustrated. It had been three days and there was absolutely _nothing._ No names, no common denominators, not one damned clue.

Ed stood up. His back still ached like hell, but the concussion was as good as gone and his nose wasn't as swollen anymore. It also helped that he could actually open his left eye again, even if it was still swollen and purple. Basically, he was just pissed off that he was still in pain and not healing fast enough. Having his left wrist sprained wasn't really a fun thing either, and it got swollen as he kept writing, so now it was throbbing like hell. Maybe he should say yes to Hawkeye's constant offers to fetch him an ice pack…

_**No.**_ These bastards had hurt him and he was damn well going to take all the pain without complaints. He wasn't going to be weak. He'd already gone crying to Roy once, which in hindsight made him pretty embarrassed. This whole thing with him was confusing and embarrassing. Because Ed kind of liked the attention and the hugs and the fact that they made him feel safe in a way he hadn't since Mom died. But Roy Mustang was still his boss. He was his CO, even if Schiff thought differently. Ed would be back to working for Roy hopefully within a few weeks, but what would happen then? How odd were things going to be? Because Roy still wanted Ed to call him by his first name around the office, although Ed still called him the Colonel when they were walking through the corridors in case someone overheard them. Things were different, there was no doubt about it, but it still made Ed feel odd. Because things had become both simpler and more complicated between them at the same time. Because Ed was vulnerable around the person he had probably been most guarded against just two weeks ago. He was giving Roy a kind of trust that still scared Ed in a way.

He was trusting him to take care of him.

He was trusting him to be a strong father figure to lean on.

And Ed saw what he was gaining from it, but it also meant giving something in return. He gave himself away, shed some of the protective layers and left himself like the kid he hadn't been in years. And he was trusting Roy not to hurt him.

Why the law of Equivalent Exchange had to be part of everything he did, he didn't know.

But then Roy was doing the same in return…

Ed would just have to see where this went, he supposed. Right now, it was something that gave him an odd kind of happiness that he hadn't had since Mom.

And Ed wanted to keep it.

"What's up, Ed?" Roy asked as Ed got to his feet.

"Toilet break."

Roy put down his pen and got to his feet too. "I'll follow you."

Ed sighed. "You're really taking this whole protection thing a bit too serious, you know…"

"Ed, you've already been attacked inside HQ once, I'm not risking it happening again."

"There was hardly anyone left inside the building that time! It's one o'clock!"

"Doesn't matter. I'm the leader of this case and you're under my protection." Roy spoke sternly, telling him that there was no question about it.

Ed admitted defeat, mostly because he really had to pee and had already put it off for half an hour because he had finally found a position that kind of worked with his back. And so they got going through the corridors, walking a bit slowly because of Ed's back.

Once Ed was done and they walked back out into the corridors, Ed looked up at Roy. "At least there weren't any scary toilet monsters to kill me in there..." Ed whispered teasingly.

Roy sighed, a tiny smile tugging at his lips. "Oh, shut up. I don't think you're going to be attacked in the corridors again, I just want to make sure that it doesn't happen."

"Over-protective bastard…"

"Elric!" a voice called out behind them. It was definitely Schiff. Ed cursed inwardly. Of course they had to meet him of all people.

They turned around to see that he was now standing only a metre away from them, looking angry. "I was informed that you were excused from work because of injury, so may I ask what you are doing here?"

"He was attacked, sir, by someone that my team is currently investigating. He is under my protection as the leader of the case. I chose to bring him with me to the office so that we could keep the investigations going while still keeping him safe," Roy said coldly.

"So Daddy Roy is there to save you once again? Can't even stand up for yourself? You're a disgrace to the military, Elric."

Ed stopped himself from retaliating simply because of the promise he had made Roy that he wouldn't have to see Ed get hurt again.

"Oh, so you have finally learnt your place? Has Daddy Roy taught you some proper behaviour for a dog? Because that's all you are, Elric. You're a little pup that needs to be taught how to behave."

Ed felt himself itching to strangle the man for the "little" comment, but he bit his lip instead.

"You need to learn how to grow up, Elric. The moment you find yourself getting orders you don't like, you just go crying to Daddy Roy… pathetic. _Weak._ We don't need weak soldiers, we need proper officers."

_I'm not a soldier and I won't ever become one…_

"Although I'm not surprised when you've been under this man's command. He doesn't even have the guts to punish insubordination."

"Or maybe I just don't believe that torturing children is a proof of strength, sir," Roy said to Ed's left. Ed looked at him. Roy was furious, clearly even more pissed off about the verbal abuse than Ed was. You could really see that he was imagining burning this man alive.

Ed was already used to it, seeing as how Schiff had already fed him plenty of crap in the two days he'd been in the office. Roy, however, seemed to not exactly have much patience with Schiff.

Schiff looked at Roy with an angry glare. "You stay out of this, Mustang, he's **my** subordinate, even if he is a waste of space at the moment until I can beat him into shape."

Schiff looked at Ed as if there was nothing he wanted more. He really had it in for him. This man absolutely hated Ed and would abuse his power to beat him into submission. Ed doubted that it was this bad with any of the others.

Then again, he didn't like Roy, so seeing the two of them together may be a bit too much for him.

"Yes, that brat needs a firm hand. He hardly learnt anything from the last flogging, he'll need many more in order to get even close to being useful. It was hardly the scream of someone who had learnt their lesson. Next time I will have to beat him harder."

Schiff really seemed to want to piss them off or maybe get Ed frightened of him.

"You won't." The whisper was deadly.

Ed looked up at Roy, he was absolutely furious. his fingers were twitching now, his desire to snap at the man was obvious.

_Shit! He's that worried about him hurting me? What the hell has happened to us?_

"You know, Mustang, it seems that you'd do well to learn that lesson too. My office, now."

Ed felt his stomach clench. He was going to use the cane on him?

"You too, Elric."

_Ah, fuck._

Roy followed the bastard without a word and Ed did as well. Just walking behind Schiff, walking towards whatever kind of punishment he had planned, it wasn't fun. And it made Ed angry. If Roy had just kept his mouth shut and taken the crap Schiff was feeding them, then this wouldn't be happening.

If Roy hadn't let himself care so much about it…

…About Ed.

_Well, shit. I'm angry with him for caring about me now?_

They went inside the inner office and Schiff turned towards them, smirking evilly at Ed. "Well, well, maybe I should think like you do, Mustang. Maybe the brat is just a child and should be punished like one…" He went over to his desk drawer, taking out a belt. "Elric, pull down your trousers and underwear and lean over the desk."

_Ah, hell no! He's gonna fucking **spank** me?_

Ed looked over at Roy whose eyes were burning with anger. He looked absolutely furious. More so than earlier. Thank god he didn't have his gloves on.

"That's an order, Elric!" Schiff said strictly, holding the belt in his hands.

Ed knew that it wasn't possibly going to be that bad, but it was going to be embarrassing as hell. He did not want to do this at all.

Schiff didn't seem to like his trepidation, however, and struck Ed across the face with his right hand, sending bursts of pain from his broken nose, causing his eyes to water. "Now!"

Ed looked over at Roy who gave Ed the tiniest of enraged nods and Ed loosened his own belt and pulled down his trousers and then his boxers before he leaned over Schiff's desk, blushing. Ed would rather have the cane than this. This was just fucking embarrassing and little else.

Then came the first blow and Ed knew that the man was deliberately making the belt buckle strike him like that. It stung and hurt like hell, but Ed merely bit his lip so that he didn't show any weakness.

The man continued hitting him and Ed was sure that the skin had been broken in places within seconds. He couldn't help the grunts of pain that escaped his lips as the man kept slamming the belt against his rear. The man finally desisted five strikes after Ed couldn't stop the loud yelp of pain from being uttered as the buckle dug into his flesh once again. It was agonising and Ed was just thankful it was over.

He hated Schiff. He had just humiliated him and Ed was in even more pain than before. It was bad enough sitting down because of his back, but now the man had beat his butt bloody and he'd have bruises for weeks probably.

And a large part of him just wanted to go to Roy and get a hug. To just have some form of comfort and safety because Ed was in pain and he had been hurt by a sadistic bastard.

"Well, Elric, that's it for now. Pull up your trousers and sit down on the chair. It's Daddy Roy's time now."

Ed did as he was told, immediately noticing that blood was soaking through his boxers as he pulled them on. His back was also protesting the movement and Ed felt a mixture of miserable and furious. He moved to sit and the pain flared even worse than the agony he was in already, making him grunt as he sat down on the chair in front of the desk. His behind was on fire and it was humiliating because he didn't want to show that he had been spanked of all things, no matter how much it hurt.

Which was just what Schiff wanted. This was a hundred times worse on his pride than getting flogged. Schiff was an absolute bastard and he was enjoying it.

"Place your hand on the desk, Mustang, palm up," Schiff said, getting the cane out. Ed didn't want to watch. He didn't want to listen as Roy got his hand mutilated. He wanted to beat Schiff to a pulp for this.

Yet Ed had to watch as Schiff beat Roy's left hand fifteen times with that cane, making his palm into a bloody mess.

* * *

Roy was furious. Yes, his hand hurt like hell, but it was at least better than what Schiff had done to Ed. Ed was clearly in a lot of pain and although Roy hadn't looked as he got beaten, he had seen the blood spattered belt that lay on the desk. And Roy had still heard it as Schiff beat his boy. He had been forced to listen to the pain Ed was being put through, counting each of the many heavy blows.

"Maybe this will teach you two that Elric is **my** subordinate and I can do as I want to correct his behaviour. You are both dismissed."

Roy gripped Ed's right arm and helped him to his feet. The movement clearly caused him a lot of pain and Roy didn't care one bit about his own injured hand anymore. Ed looked shameful and angry at the same time with barely repressed tears in his eyes and Roy led him out of the office and stopped once they reached the toilets which were only a few metres down the hall thankfully. Roy locked the door once he was sure that there weren't anybody inside any of the cubicles and then he grabbed handfuls of paper towels, pressing them against his own bleeding hand before taking even more of them over to Ed who was still blushing and looking very much like the child he was while he stood looking down at his feet.

"Ed, how bad is it?" Roy asked, placing his free hand on his shoulder.

"Don't know. You should go to the infirmary, you know." Ed spoke quietly. Schiff had humiliated and tortured his boy and Ed was ashamed of it. It made Roy even more sure that he would find an excuse to burn the bastard.

"Edward, you have two options: either you let me help, or I'm taking you to Doc." Roy spoke sternly because he knew that Ed would try to pretend that it wasn't anything and then get himself an infection. "I know you're bleeding and that he hit you hard. And I know that it needs treatment, so answer me."

Ed looked up at him and the next second, tears began flowing from his eyes and he threw himself at Roy. Roy held him, making sure that the paper towels covering his own hand weren't getting soaked through. "He fucking _spanked_ me! He made the buckle dig into my flesh and he enjoyed it!" Ed said somewhere between a rant and a sob. "I swear, Roy, he's gonna kill me in his tries to turn me into a puppet! Please, just take me back to the dorms. I don't wanna face the others after he fucking mutilated my ass!"

"Then you need to let me have a look at it so I can patch you up first. There's a first aid kit over on the shelf. After that we can go straight to the dorms and tell the team you got a fever or something."

There were a few seconds before Roy felt the boy nod into his chest.

"Good, then we'll get this done and nobody needs to know what happened, even if you shouldn't be ashamed about Schiff deciding to torture you."

* * *

They got into their dorm a while later, both of them now bandaged and in pain. Ed could hardly walk because of the throbbing pain and so it felt great once he let himself collapse on his bed after a painful change of clothes. Ed was only wearing his boxers and tank top and was lying on top of his duvet as Roy came inside with an ice pack wrapped up in a towel and placed it on his rear. Ed hissed with pain just from the contact, but once he was used to it, the cold felt soothing. Roy sat down near his head and began stroking his hair.

"I hate this. I just wanna be back on your team and be rid of that bastard. I didn't even say anything to him! He's gonna start punishing me just for showing up at the office once my week is up."

"I'm afraid that it was my fault that you got that belting, Ed. I just wasn't going to listen to him talk about torturing you. I should have thought about him not leaving you alone if I didn't keep my mouth shut. I'm sorry."

"Forget about it. You only reacted that way because you care, I don't blame you," Ed mumbled. Roy just kept stroking his hair and Ed found it to be very soothing. He hurt all over and he just wanted a break. "Did you phone the office?"

"Yes. Told them you had a headache and that I was taking you back here in case it was because of the concussion."

"That works."

Ed felt miserable. And he felt like a fucking kid. A grumpy, **spanked** kid. And it was so humiliating. With the flogging he had at least got looks of sympathy when they saw him in pain. But this was his butt.

And it hurt like hell.

And Schiff had forced him to pull his boxers down and just take it.

He wasn't just some misbehaving kid! He was a damn State Alchemist!

And him and Al weren't getting anywhere in their search as long as Schiff had his claws in Ed.

"Dammit!" Ed shouted, startling Roy, but he was soon back to stroking his hair again.

"Edward, I know this isn't fun and it isn't easy. And I'm sorry that you're stuck with this."

"There's no need to say you're sorry, it isn't your fault. I just wanna get things back to normal instead of getting humiliated by a sadistic General! I HATE THIS! I hate the military and the stupid bastards who think it is okay that people like Schiff are in power and I hate that my ass is in agony because of that bastard! I hate that I can't go looking for the Stone! The hero of the people got **spanked** even! I got spanked like some misbehaving brat! He fucking humiliated me!" Ed felt angry tears starting to form as he snuggled closer into Roy. "I hate it so much…"

Roy kneeled down on the floor and pulled Ed into a hug that allowed him to keep lying as he put his arms around Roy's neck and pressed his cheek against his. This was really the only good thing that had happened ever since Ed got reassigned. And he needed this right now. To have this kind of uncompromising warmth and safety was the exact opposite of what Schiff gave him.

No, this was good.

Scratch that, great!

Awesome in fact.

And so Ed couldn't help but smile slightly through his tears.

At least until the floor exploded underneath them and they were thrown into pain and blackness.


	17. Chapter 17

**Short chapter and a cliffhanger, I know ... sorry.**

* * *

**Chapter seventeen**

Alphonse was walking to the dorms in order to check on Brother. For him to admit to having a headache must mean that it's either so painful that he can't walk…

…Or Roy had lied and there was a particular reason that they had gone back to the dorms.

Either way, it must have been pretty bad whatever was going on with Brother. Al couldn't remember him ever admitting to having a headache ever since he joined the military. The stupid fool thought it made him weak.

Which was why Al was pretty sure that Brother was having another breakdown like the one he had had right before he was attacked. The thought made Al sad, but also happy in a strange way. It meant that Ed was finally letting himself be emotionally dependant on an adult again. And he wasn't stubbornly repressing everything until he snapped and vented out his feelings by recklessly attacking a drug lord's hideout or something like that single-handedly as a way to vent his anger.

And it was nice to have an adult take care of them. It gave Al a sense of safety that he hadn't felt for a long time.

So Al was just going to go and check on them quietly just to see how Brother was doing.

A couple of soldiers suddenly ran past him and Al caught two words of their conversation that made the worry from before turn to absolute panic: "bomb" and "dorms".

And so Al was running. He was sprinting as fast as he could and his panic kept rising as he neared the building that still had a cloud of black smoke rising from it. Al ran around to the source of the smoke and froze as he saw what was left of their dorm. There was fire spreading through the parts of the building that still remained, but the part that Ed and Roy had been in had collapsed because of the blast.

"**BROTHER!**" Al shouted as he ran towards the large pile of rubble. A few MPs were trying to stop him, but someone that Al recognised vaguely, a young officer by the name of Jones, came running up to him, his face full of alarm. "Let him through! He's the Fullmetal Alchemist's brother!"

The MPs paused and Al ran past them, shouting to Jones. "**Brother's in there! Colonel Mustang too!**"

And after that, Al just blocked out all sound of voices and the likes, his sole focus was to find Brother and Roy.

And so Al dug through the rubble, searching frantically for about twenty minutes, barely noticing the other soldiers that were searching with him. He was furiously trying to block out the thought that kept intruding that his brother may not have survived.

Then Al lifted away a particularly large piece of concrete and saw something that made his hopes rise. A bulge of concrete in between the rubble that was covered with transmutation marks. Al pushed away some more of the rubble and then pulled out his chalk, quickly drawing a transmutation circle now that he was sure that there weren't enough debris on top of the small dome that it would collapse from Al creating a hole in it.

He activated the circle, transmuting a large window of sorts. "BROTHER! ROY!" Al shouted, spotting a pair of people within the dome that looked very familiar, if covered in blood.

There were a couple of weak coughs from inside the two metre tall dome. "Al…" a voice said hoarsely and obviously filled with agony. It belonged to Roy. "He … He's … breathing."

* * *

_"__The surgery was successful," the doctor told him, his face telling him that he wasn't out of the woods, however. "He received a heavy blow to the head which has caused some intracranial bleeding, resulting in his current comatose state. He also had a moderate amount of internal bleeding. His left hand is broken and most of his automail arm had been ripped off. He has several cuts and bruises all over his body and his nose needs to be reset once the swelling has gone down. The wounds on his back had been reopened and there is a significant amount of bruising and lacerations to his backside suggesting an abusive amount of severe belting." The doctor looked at them sympathetically. "I regret to inform you, Mister Elric, but you should prepare yourself for the fact that your brother might never wake up."_

Alphonse recounted the list to Roy who was lying in his own hospital bed, looking pale and obviously in a lot of pain. Roy's right leg was broken in two places and the cast went from his toes and covered most of his thigh. His right shoulder had also been impaled by a wooden beam, fracturing his collarbone and causing him to now keep his heavily bandaged right arm in a sling. He had a bandage wrapped around his forehead from a deep cut as well and yet he refused to take the appropriate painkillers because he didn't want to risk falling asleep should Ed's condition change. He may be on strong painkillers, but the dose was far lower than anyone liked. Al had been informed by Hawkeye about his condition and had been ordered by Roy to tell him about Ed's condition the second the man had been wheeled into the room, having finally pulled enough strings to get a shared room despite the difference in the severity of the injuries. That meant that Al hadn't got to see Roy before now even if he had been awake for the last hour because Al had been waiting for news on Brother's condition and had only been sitting in the room for a few minutes.

The steady beeping from Brother's heart monitor next to Ed's bed was both unnerving and comforting.

"But they're just saying that because they don't know Brother!" Alphonse said stubbornly, refusing to even consider the possibility that Ed might not make it. He was even breathing on his own!

Even if he was looking ghostly pale and much too at peace for his usual self to have an IV hooked up to his arm and a spare one on his right foot…

"Alphonse … I'm so sorry … I should have protected him better," Roy said, looking very much like the emotional pain even outweighed the physical one.

"Don't say that. You've protected Brother for days! And I guess you were the one to transmute that dome too!" Al couldn't deal with it if Roy was just going to blame himself for this.

"I did, but it was only luck that I got it up in time to shield us from further harm…"

"You saved his life! Both your lives!" Roy moved to speak, but Al cut him off. "Please, Roy, don't talk like that! I-I can't take it!" Al was stressed and in emotional pain and he couldn't even cry! "He's gonna tell you that you're just being stupid because he's going to be all right! They just didn't see him when he went through the automail surgery and his determination throughout that process! Brother's gonna be fine because he wouldn't just leave me like this!" Al could see how sad the desperation in his voice was making Roy and he couldn't deal with that right now. It was just too much. "Who belted him?" Al said, wanting to know who did that to his brother, although he already knew the answer.

Roy's expression turned to fury in a second, confirming his suspicions. "Schiff. We ran into him and he got angry with us."

"Then stay angry with him because you wouldn't have been attacked if he hadn't hurt Brother!"

"Alphonse —" Roy began, but then a nurse came inside the room, followed by Lieutenant Hawkeye.

The second she saw Roy, she broke down in tears and fell to her knees, sobbing. The Lieutenant immediately pointed her gun at the woman, her face stern. "PLEASE! I'M NOT GOING TO HURT YOU!" the nurse screamed in fear as she heard the cock of the gun and put her hands in the air. "I'M JUST HERE TO DELIVER A MESSAGE OR THEY'LL SHOOT MY SON!"


	18. Chapter 18

**So, I'm back with a new chapter! I've been doing this and redoing this over and over and I just couldn't find a way that I liked before now. But if anyone's worried, this story isn't abandoned or on hiatus, it's just that my muse for this story is kind of going dormant now that the pollen has arrived and I just couldn't figure out how to get this chapter the way I wanted before my brain suddenly got the necessary inspiration to write this chapter.**

**So thank you so much for your support for this story and for sticking with me for all this time!**

* * *

**Chapter eighteen**

Roy felt like screaming. To shout every profanity in the universe. To just unload some of his pent up frustration because of what Alphonse had just told him.

_That Ed might never wake up._

And now this nurse in front of him was crying her heart out because someone was threatening her son, meaning that he had to push away all his emotions. He wanted to scream at her to piss off and come back later.

But Roy had to act professionally and that meant that he had to keep a straight face and his voice level, because he couldn't risk another child's life. And so he lifted two of the fingers on his heavily bandaged left hand, silently telling Hawkeye that he got this.

And first of all, he needed to make this nurse in front of him calm down. "The Lieutenant won't shoot you. Now what's your name?"

"Lindsay… Please! I only have two minutes to call back and then they'll shoot him!" The words were shrill and panicked and she looked like all the strength in her body had left her.

"Go ahead." Roy spoke through slightly gritted teeth because of a particularly sharp jab of pain from his leg.

She pulled out a note from her pocket and despite her tears and everything, her voice was level as she read it out loud.

…In a very different voice than before. "You definitely owe me a hamburger."

Roy could only stare at her. "Excuse me?!"

"Hamburgers… Like a week's worth of hamburgers. And fries and ketchup."

"What the hell are you talking about?!"

"There's no way I'm gonna go a whole month without fast food if you can't even keep your promise not to get drugged again for more than three days."

That stirred something in Roy's mind and he opened his eyes, like actually opened his eyes, realising that he had in fact been **dreaming**.

And his eyes fell upon a very familiar head of blonde hair and a pair of golden eyes, the left one still only half-open because of the black eye. Roy froze. Ed was lying there on Roy's right leg, a large pillow propped up under his stomach and his automail arm nowhere in sight. Most of Ed was covered in bandages, including his entire left arm from hand to shoulder, but his wrist clearly wasn't broken like in the dream, but merely sprained like before. And Roy's leg clearly wasn't broken either. What he had thought was a cast, had actually been Ed lying on his leg. "Edward," Roy said, his eyes wide and he was absolutely stunned. "You're actually okay? You're not in a coma?"

"Does it look like I am? I only got knocked out and woke up in the ambulance to find you babbling about some weird shit because those Shadow jerks obviously drugged you again. You've been like that for hours, shouting orders at invisible nurses and pulling rank on your IV stand. And other stuff."

Roy couldn't help the blush. "Wait, what other stuff?"

Ed looked a bit angry and hurt. "Well, you nearly told the entire team about the belting while thinking you were my brother."

Roy reached out with his heavily bandaged left hand as his right was currently trapped in a sling, and placed it on Ed's right cheek, not caring about how much it stung to do so, because Ed was _here_ and he was _talking_ and _alive_. And Roy also felt bad as hell that he'd said things that were highly embarrassing for the kid. "Ed, I'm so sorry. Now tell me how you are doing?"

"Better than you, you basically shielded me, and what was left was just my automail arm, so I'm okay. The bandages are just from a lot of small cuts after the window shattered, so you've got a fair few yourself. But what about you? You've got a broken collarbone after having your shoulder fucking impaled!"

"The doesn't matter as long as you're not lying comatose in the bed next to me and dying because I failed to protect you," Roy said softly, giving Ed a weak smile. The pain from Roy's shoulder had obviously seemed worse when he was out of it, seeing as Roy definitely did have painkillers in his system and all he really cared about was that Ed was speaking to him.

Ed rolled his eyes at him. "That's so sentimental, it doesn't suit you."

Roy just kept smiling at him, cupping his cheek. "Don't care, kiddo."

Edward groaned, but didn't move away from the touch.

Roy looked at Ed, forcing their eyes to meet, because he had to know if he had broken his promise about not telling people about the belting. He knew that if the rest of them knew, then that would be a serious blow to Ed's pride and Roy did not wish to be the one to bring that about, no matter how much he knew that his team would never think any the lesser of Ed, but only get even more ready to tie Schiff up and do the same to him. What Schiff had done to Ed was not "spank" him, it had been torture for the sake of torture and if Ed would just go to General Grumman and show him just exactly what Schiff did, then the bastard would be facing a court-martial before he even knew what was happening. Schiff had mutilated Ed's skin and flesh and Ed would have nasty scars for the rest of his life. Spankings did not involve about thirty stitches. That had been nothing more than the unprovoked torture of a child.

And Roy would find a way to make him pay for that.

"Edward, did I tell the others?" Roy asked, looking at him in a way that left no room for lies and half-truths.

"No. Hawkeye got the others outside as soon as you began reciting the list of mostly imaginary injuries, so not even Al knows," Ed said before looking down. "And besides, Al's back at HQ helping with recovering the source of the explosion and cleaning up the rubble and stuff."

Roy gave a relieved sigh and gently began stroking Ed's cheek with the outside of his hand.

"Thanks, you know… For stitching me up earlier," Ed said in a low voice, still not looking at Roy.

Roy, however, got a nasty suspicion at that. "Edward, please tell me that you did not just survive an explosion without telling the doctors about the extent of your previous injuries?"

"They know about my back and they redressed it, don't worry."

Roy sighed. "Edward…"

"Shut up, Roy, it's not feeling any different, there's no need for them to know about that."

"You know, Ed, for a genius, you can be pretty stupid," Roy began to move to get out of the bed with a sigh. "Come on, kid, we'll have a look at it. I'm sure we can borrow a first aid kit if necessary and we can fix you up in the bathroom." Roy pointed to the lovely door at the other side of the room, revealing the splendour of not having to use a shared bathroom, even if the space was a bit cramped in order to squeeze in a shower, but they would make do.

And so Ed awkwardly got out of the bed with some support from Roy, and he was limping even heavier than before, confirming Roy's suspicions that the boy definitely wasn't doing fine.

They got inside the bathroom and Roy locked the door before sitting down on the lid of the toilet in front of a very awkward-looking and blushing Ed.

"Come on, Ed, let's just get this over with."

Ed turned around and winced and hissed as he bent to pull down his hospital trousers with his injured hand and wrist to reveal that his boxers were now bloodstained. Roy could tell that even if it hadn't yet soaked through to his trousers, it would have done so very soon. Ed then pulled them off too, revealing the bloody bandages and sickening bruises that covered his entire rear.

Roy threw all professionalism out the window in a second at seeing how much damage that had been done to his boy, and stood up and turned Ed around again and pulled him into a hug, not caring one iota about the way his shoulder was protesting the actions loudly. "Oh, Ed…" Roy said, feeling sick.

"Is it really that bad?" Ed asked, the right side of his face pressed against Roy's chest.

"Edward, I'll be honest, it looks like hell. I can only guess that quite a few of the stitches have been ripped, meaning that we need someone to help."

Ed froze. "No way. It's bad enough with you, but at least you're **_Roy_** … I don't want the others to know that Schiff mutilated my fucking ass. No way."

Roy sighed. "Edward, I currently only have about half of my non-dominant hand working, you're going to have to accept some help. Whether it's from the team or the doctors is up to you."

"No! And there's no way in hell that I'll let the doctors know! I'm not gonna let that be on my medical records!"

"Then the team. Hawkeye is good with a needle, Ed, and she won't breathe a word of it."

Ed pulled out of the hug at that, staring at Roy in horror, his cheeks bright red. "Hell no! I'm not gonna flash my _**ass**_ at _**Hawkeye!"**_

Roy could barely repress the smirk because this was one of those rare times where Ed was acting his age. Right now, Ed was actually just being the teenage boy that he was.

Roy suddenly heard a couple of knocks and the sound of somebody coming into their hospital room. "Uh, Boss? Ed?" came a familiar voice.

"In here, Havoc," Roy said, trying to think of a lie that would work while his mind was elsewhere. "Ed's hair needed a wash, he had lots of dust in it."

Roy looked at Ed meaningfully, silently telling him that "we're going to ask him."

"_Hell, no!_" Ed hissed.

"Oh, okay, Boss. I just came to tell you about the bomb. Turns out the MPs made an arrest. I'll wait in here," Havoc offered.

"We'll be right there, Havoc, thank you." Roy glared at Edward while also feeling a leap of joy in his chest at the thought that they might actually have a lead on the bastards that wanted to hurt his boys and who blew up a building to do it. "_Edward, I'm asking him…"_ Roy whispered. "_Nobody will ever know!_"

"_I told you, NO!_" Ed whispered furiously back at him.

"_Edward, you need help, for fuck's sake!_ _It's not like he hasn't seen stuff like this before!_"

"Boss? Are you sure everything is fine?" came Havoc's worried voice.

"_I'm asking him!_" Roy hissed.

"_NO!_" Ed repeated through gritted teeth.

"Cos last time I checked, none of you actually had, you know … hands … to wash Ed's hair with."

Roy stopped his furious staring match with Ed and just closed his eyes, cursing himself, just as Ed swore loudly.

"Damn you, Roy! You did that on purpose, didn't you?!" Ed demanded.

Roy looked at him. "I wasn't thinking, okay?! And there aren't that many excuses you can use in this situation, are there?!"

"And so you had to go with the one that anyone could see through within seconds! I thought you were tactical! You could have gone with helping me with the toothbrush or something!"

Roy froze. That was a very good point. "Fine! Excuse me for not thinking clearly because my kid is hurt and refusing help!"

Ed glared at him and spoke through gritted teeth. "Stop talking!"

Roy rolled his eyes, knowing that they were already screwed and Roy wasn't going to convince him anytime soon. And so instead he just strode over to the door and unlocked it, just before Ed jumped at him sideways, pushing him away from the door, making it impossible for him to grab the handle and push it down as he instead was forced backwards, causing his legs to crash into the two-inch edge around the shower, making him trip and fall on his ass just as Ed pulled his boxers back on with quite a few pained curses. "Edward! Come on! Stop being so stupid about this!"

"It's my business!"

"Well, it's my duty to take care of you!" Roy said, getting to his feet, only to have Ed's automail leg step on his chest to force him back down again. That thing really weighed a tonne.

"Well, obviously you're too useless to do it!" Ed growled.

Roy just stared at him, his chest suddenly feeling very tight.

Ed suddenly stepped back, removing the pressure from Roy's chest. "Fuck, Roy, I didn't mean—!"

Roy just held up his left hand in surrender, his insides feeling cold. "No, it's fine… I deserve it. It's my fault that you're here after all." Roy had to work hard on keeping his face straight. That comment had been entirely correct and justified, really. Roy had been stupid earlier and it had caused Ed's belting. It had been the reason why they had been there when the explosion went off and it was why Roy couldn't take care of Ed like he wanted to now.

But damn it if it didn't feel like Ed had punched him several times in the gut with those few words.

"Stop that shit, you know that that's not true," Ed said. "I shouldn't have said it."

Roy just looked at him with a raised eyebrow. "Edward, it's entirely justified. If anyone has the right to be angry with me after all this, it's you."

Ed looked at him, torn between anger and guilt. "No, Roy. Just stop that. It isn't true."

"Actually, it is." Roy was really struggling to keep his voice steady. Perhaps these last few days had just been a lie. Roy had been living a lie and Ed had finally caught up on it and exposed Roy. "You're absolutely right. I'm useless. I've failed to protect you how many times now? What that drug made me see could just as well have been the truth. I mean, really, that was just luck. Imagine what would have happened to your arm if it hadn't been automail? You'd probably have bled to death while I'd have been sitting next to you, drugged to high heaven as you died and I wouldn't have had a clue. That sounds pretty useless to me, kid."

Ed glared at him for a minute without saying anything while his lips trembled slightly. "You fucking IDIOT!" Ed shouted suddenly. "STOP THAT SELF-PITY "I'M YOUR CO AND IT'S MY DUTY BECAUSE I'M THE ALMIGHTY COLONEL" GUILT CRAP AND JUST START BEING MY DAD, WOULD YOU?!"

They both froze. Ed's eyes widened as his cheeks turned bright red.

Roy could only stare at him as Ed quickly turned away. "You know, like stop acting like we're in the office and I'm just some stupid subordinate who you need to protect cos I'm working under you. I can think for myself."

"Edward, I—" Roy began, stunned, but then they heard poorly disguised snickers on the other side of the door and Ed immediately limped over to it and threw it open.

"Shut it, Havoc, and get a first aid kit and wipe that stupid grin off your face, you need to stitch up my butt."

Havoc froze, his eyebrows raised. "Your …?"

Roy looked at him. "Schiff decided to belt him."

All traces of laughter vanished from his face instantly. "Damn."

"And Roy: you go get like about five hamburgers in the cafeteria."

Roy looked at Ed, then back at Havoc and then back at Ed again.

Then he chuckled and got to his feet, stopping by the doorway to wrap his arm around Ed and hug him again. "Damn, I'm glad you're awake, kiddo."


	19. Chapter 19

Chapter nineteen

"Oh, fuck, Chief! You seriously weren't going to tell anyone about this?!" Havoc asked Ed as he peeled of his boxers for him.

Ed was still embarrassed as hell by all of this. "Of course I'm not telling people that "The Hero of the People" got spanked!"

"Chief, this isn't the results of a spanking. This is the results of torture."

Ed felt some of the bandages being peeled off and there was a waft of iron in the air as he barely repressed a wince. Yeah, Ed was in pain. A hell of a lot of it and it was humiliating. That wasn't really the worst, though, because he had a new problem.

_Did I really just call Roy my Dad?_

"Chief, I'm going to start cleaning this mess up, so this is going to sting," Havoc said.

"I guessed," Ed replied a bit irritably. This was such a messed up situation. He took a few deep breaths, applying the same technique as he did during the automail surgery, and kind of separated his mind from his body, which was a hell of a lot easier than usual with all this emotional crap buzzing through his head.

_I didn't **really** call him my Dad… I told him to **start being** my Dad… But he didn't say no, did he? … He just … He began saying something, but he was cut off by Havoc laughing and then I ordered him to buy burgers … And then he laughed and hugged me…_

_Shit! Does that mean that he's gonna be my Dad now? After all, he did as I told him and stopped being stupid with the guilt shit, so does that mean that he's decided that he's gonna be my Dad for real? _

_Does he expect me to call him "Dad" now? Is he gonna be hurt if I don't? How much have I messed this stuff up?_

"Havoc, I swear I'll find a way to permanently transmute moose horns to your head if you tell anyone about this," Ed said sharply, barely resisting a wince as he suddenly felt the needle pierce his flesh and he was roughly brought back to the present.

"You know, you could have Schiff at least demoted if you'd just report him? There's nobody who's going to look down upon you for it, not when he did **_this_** and especially unprovoked. And with you being a State Alchemist, he'd probably end up in jail."

"Yeah, and then they'll take pictures as evidence and then show my ass to the fucking jury, no thanks!" Ed said angrily through clenched teeth. "It's not gonna happen! Now shut up about it!"

"Fine, Ed," Havoc said with a sigh. "So I guess the Boss is done shouting at the curtains?"

Ed rolled his eyes, thinking back to how weird it had been to be around Roy when he was convinced that Ed was dying and comatose. It had been a bit … touching, really, to see how protective Roy was when he thought that Ed wasn't there. When he thought that Ed was somewhere else where he couldn't protect him. He'd even shouted about being taken to the operating theatre so that he could look after him.

Problem was that Ed had been **_right there_** to blush as Roy kept repeating his name over and over, demanding of his IV stand to take him to the doctor in charge so that he would be placed in the same room as him. Roy had been in the room a lot longer than he'd thought, but one of the most embarrassing moments was when Roy had straightened up in bed all of a sudden with an "Ed! Oh god, I'm so sorry!" and then proceeded to make sounds like a heart monitor for the next thirty seconds or so.

Basically, Ed had a lot of stuff to use to … _inspire_ Roy to make pancakes for breakfast most of the time.

…Although that was when they got out of the hospital and Roy actually had at least **one** hand to do so with.

And what was worse was that even so, Roy was a lot more useful than himself at the moment. At least he could actually lie on his back and he could sit down. Ed was basically good for lying on his stomach with his head tilted to the left so that his unbruised right cheek and eye were the ones to be pressed against the mattress. Also, pillows were out of the question because of his nose as they were very fond of pushing on it.

"Oh, and Havoc, if you mention anything about the conversation in the bathroom, I'll kick your ass so that you'll be the one needing stitches, you get me?"

"Fine, Chief. And by the way, you know you're going to need to call your mechanic, right? Alphonse told me to remind you when he phoned to tell us that they'd made the arrest."

Ed winced both because of needle and the way he could only imagine how murderous Winry was going to be when she heard that his automail arm had been crushed beyond repair. "She's gonna kill me…"

"Sounds unpleasant."

Ed hissed with pain as the needle dug particularly deeply into his flesh.

* * *

Roy returned to the room together with Hawkeye who was kind enough to carry the tray with the hamburgers for him. They had brought a total of ten burgers, five for Ed who still had that bottomless pit he called a stomach, three for Roy who was damn hungry, one for Havoc and one for Hawkeye as they had eaten about three hours ago and didn't need much. Roy, however, was famished.

He knocked at the door, knowing that returning to the room before Ed was stitched up was going to embarrass him immensely and Ed would probably hate him afterwards for letting anyone else know about the belting.

The door, however, was opened by a grinning Ed, looking expectantly at the tray in Hawkeye's hands. "Yes!" Then he grabbed a burger, obviously ignoring the pain from his wrist and hand in favour of food and shoved it into his mouth.

Roy was caught somewhere between amusement and alarm and put his left hand on his shoulder, flinching slightly at the stinging from his hand, but it was definitely dulled by whatever had been given to him through the tube taped to his upper arm. He had a total of three tubes hooked up to him at the moment, two IVs and the one for the pain meds. Roy knew how it went, had the painkillers been given intravenously, then Roy would have to be hooked up to a heart monitor and be kept under observation. That meant no going anywhere.

That wasn't really something Roy was particularly interested in right now. He wanted to keep Ed close, but Ed would instinctively try to keep as far away as possible and not let himself soften up at all if Roy was kept under observation for hours. He had been shaken as hell by what those drugs made him see because it had been so close to reality. It could have been what had actually happened. That bomb could have killed them both easy as anything.

Ed looked up at him at the touch, slowing down his chewing a bit. "Wha?"

"Ed, don't choke yourself," Roy said.

Ed swallowed and looked at him, not really knowing what to say because Ed became a lot more guarded with the others around.

Roy decided to help him out because he was also very eager to hear about the arrest, so he gave him a small smile and squeezed his shoulder gently, not giving a damn about the pain, before pulling back. "Havoc? Who was it that was arrested?" Roy asked, turning towards him. "Is it a known criminal?"

"Actually, sir, it's an officer by the name of Second Lieutenant Jones. He was the first on the scene, but he was arrested once the MPs discovered him to be hiding the detonator among the rubble."

Roy could have sworn the name rung a bell and he looked at Ed for a kind of brainstorming session, only to find Ed having gone pale and looking like his mind was racing a mile a minute. Roy immediately took his arm, his stomach clenching at the way that Ed was looking. "Hey, Ed, what's wrong?!" Roy demanded.

In response, Ed looked at Roy with fear and nodded towards the bathroom, silently telling Roy that they had to talk about this in private. Roy followed the limping kid, the two other occupants in the room looking worried, but trusting them enough not to ask, knowing that they would be told in due time. Once they were inside the bathroom, Roy closed the door while Ed used his elbow to turn the switch on the shower to make water flow at full strength. Roy got his point and turned on the faucet to max. They may have checked their room for bugs, but that didn't necessarily mean that people couldn't be listening through either the vents or by the door, pretending to be doctors. This way, they were almost completely sure that nobody could hear them talking because of the noise. Then Ed walked right up to him, only standing a foot apart as he looked at Roy. "He works for Schiff. I think that bastard General is behind all of this."

Roy got a nasty feeling at that, because he could tell that Ed was onto something, and his gut was telling him that Ed was right. "Ed, explain," Roy said, putting his hand on his shoulder again.

"Think about it. That bomb went off at half past one in the afternoon, nobody in their right mind's gonna commit an act of terror when the dorms are practically empty. And the bomb went off after we arrived there, while we were certain that the place wasn't bugged just six hours earlier. Jones wasn't in the office when Schiff belted me, he shouldn't have known that we were going to return to the dorms nearly four hours early. I think Schiff had planned this. He had planned to meet us in the hallway that way. He had planned to belt me so much that we weren't going to return to the office... Which is why the bomb went off when it was absolutely certain that we'd be back in the dorms."

Roy felt his stomach clench with both worry and anger as things began to piece themselves together in his head. "So you think that Schiff is in league with the Black Shadows..."

Ed nodded. "Which is why I got reassigned just a few days after you got the case. Schiff doesn't want me for shit. He doesn't want me to be a soldier to earn him promotions, he's just using me as a distraction!" Ed said furiously. "He's been setting me up! He caned my hand so that I had to use the typewriter! Then he slipped in that stupid report from MY case so that I'd get pissed off! He knew that Hawkeye would be able to find that report easy as anything! That bastard Milton planned to use that as an excuse to attack me!"

Roy felt his chest tightening painfully. "And the flogging was just to push me to make you stay with me so that they could attack you while you were too out of it to actually fight back before it was too late. They may not even have been planning to take you back then." Roy looked at Ed shamefully, feeling sick. Then he just stepped forwards and put his arm around him, neither of them giving a damn about the discomfort as Ed put his arm around Roy's back in turn. "Ed, I'm sorry... I'm so sorry..." Roy said quietly. "This is all my fault. They've been using you to get to me..." There was no denying it. Schiff had taken Ed away to make Roy constantly on edge and unable to fully focus on the case.

"Don't, Roy... Stop it... It's that bastard Schiff's fault," Ed mumbled angrily, but there was some fear in his voice too.

"Ed, what's wrong? There's something you're not telling me," Roy said, trying to keep the anger out of his voice. He'd give Ed anything right now to make this right. Schiff had tortured his kid for nearly two weeks now to get to Roy. He could be angry later when Ed wasn't obviously scared and in need of a hug.

"You think they planned for this?" Ed said quietly, and Roy could hear that his voice was shaky like he was nearing tears. It made Roy's already twisted insides take an extra turn to make everything hurt just a bit more.

"What do you mean, Ed?" Roy asked gently. He could tell that this wasn't about the bomb or them reaching this particular conclusion. This was about something else.

"You think they planned for us to get close? You think Schiff's been manipulating us into this? That everything was just... just so that they could hurt you more? Is everything just...?" Ed pressed the unhurt side of his face into Roy's chest as his voice broke slightly. "Roy, did I only get a parent again just so that I could be used as a tool against you?" Ed asked shakily, just as Roy felt a warm wetness where Ed's eye was pressed against his chest.

Roy felt trapped. He didn't know what to say. Ed was in many ways right.

But Roy didn't really care as long as Ed still wanted him. As long as Al did. He bent down and kissed Ed's head before resting his cheek on his head. "Edward, that doesn't matter to me. I don't blame you for this. If you want to stay away from me because of this, then that is up to you."

Ed pulled back and looked up at him, betrayal on his face. "You want me to stay away? Is that what you're saying?" he asked, looking crestfallen. "You don't want me anymore because... because those bastards planned this?"

Roy swore inwardly, feeling panic growing. This was going wrong. He instinctively took a step forwards and brought him close to his chest again. "Edward, I was giving you the choice because they're hurting you to hurt me and that is my fault. And I just..." Roy sighed, bringing him closer. "Ed... I'm scared that you can't forgive me for this, so I'm just... Edward, if you don't want to stay close to me because of this, then I won't force you," Roy told him, thinking about what Ed had said about not being the Colonel, but just acting like his Dad. And Roy wanted to, but if Ed couldn't have a relationship based on the fact that they had in many ways been manipulated into it, then that was something that Roy had to respect. "...Family isn't supposed to be like that," he finished, fear growing that this was how it was going to end.

Ed, however, put his arm around him again instantly and pressed his cheek against his chest. "Fuck that," he said. "Fuck all of them. They can go to hell. So just stop going on about being guilty and shit cos that's what they want. I don't want that, so choose. Me and Al or those Shadow jerks?"

Roy hugged him tightly, chuckling softly. "Elrics, definitely Elrics."

"Then let's find away to get that bastard Schiff in jail."

There was an unspoken "before he kills me," hanging in the air that made Roy hug him even tighter to him.


	20. Chapter 20

**So... Despite how it may seem, I have in fact _not_ been withholding any chapters despite the staggering word count for this chapter... I've just had a very productive couple of days after I got a sudden surge of inspiration. And then I just couldn't get the chapter to feel right without writing it all. And so all I can say now is that 12000 words is not going to be the standard chapter length.**

**But I hope you'll enjoy this chapter!**

* * *

**Chapter twenty**

"Uh, hi Winry, it's Ed," Edward said into the phone cautiously. Roy was sitting on a bench next to him, insisting on holding the phone for him because even if both their usable hands were mutilated and their arms and upper bodies sprayed with cuts from glass shards, fact was still that Ed had a sprained wrist and moving his left shoulder blade to hold the phone hurt like hell because of the reopened cuts on his back. He didn't even want to think about how it would look once it was healed. The scarring was going to be horrific.

So now Roy was being grumpy and protective and was looking very odd with an ignition glove covering his right hand where it was resting in the sling. With the recent discoveries concerning the fact that the military was infiltrated by a criminal organisation that basically enjoyed torturing Ed, Roy had become dead set on being able to burn anyone going after him.

At least if he could get away with it. He couldn't exactly burn a general without sufficient evidence.

...Even if he **_did_** look like he wanted nothing more than to break into Schiff's office and torch him.

"Oh, hi, Ed, is something wrong?" came Winry's voice, a bit of threatening scepticism making its way into the otherwise cheerful tone.

"Uh, yeah..." Ed was dreading the imminent outburst of fury. "You see... Myrightarmgotcrushedcosofanexplosion," he whispered.

There was silence.

Then...

"YOU BROKE YOUR AUTOMAIL AGAIN?! HOW CAN YOU BE SO RECKLESS WITH MY BEAUTIFUL CREATIONS?!"

Ed winced, his ears ringing. "Uh..."

"HOW CAN YOU DO THIS ALL THE-?!"

Roy then suddenly removed the phone from Ed's ear and placed it against his own. "Miss Rockbell, this is Colonel Mustang speaking. I suggest that you do not yell at Edward as he got a concussion less than a week ago."

Ed just stared at him.

_Damn, he's protective..._

Ed could still hear what she was saying though, because of how close to Roy Ed currently was.

"Colonel Mustang? Why are you...? Is Ed badly injured? He said there was an explosion and if he got a concussion from it days ago, then why is he only calling now? Are you in a hospital?" came Winry's voice, obviously caught off guard by the abrupt change of who she was talking to. Which in turn made her worry a lot.

"The concussion was from a surprise attack four days ago. The explosion was earlier today. We were in the dorms when somebody intentionally tried to injure and quite possibly kill us both, meaning that you have no grounds to call it recklessness on his behalf. He was resting because of said concussion when the bomb went off."

"He... He what? But why were you there with him? What about Alphonse?"

"Al was in the office. Ed and me were called to the office of the general he had been reassigned to almost two weeks ago. However, when we returned from the office, Edward was getting a headache and so I decided to take him back to the dorms instead as he needs plenty of rest, also because he was subjected to severe flogging little over a week ago for punching said general. I suggest that you therefore do not give him any grief about his automail as he wasn't guilty in provoking the attempt at his life earlier today, and that you should consider yourself lucky that it was his automail arm that was crushed and not his flesh one. Otherwise, you would most likely find yourself needing to prepare him for surgery for a third automail limb."

Ed just stared at the older alchemist. Roy was being protective as hell and guilt-tripping Winry.

And Ed was both touched, horrified, and without any idea as to just what he was supposed to say. He didn't really want Winry to know what had happened, but the fact still was that Roy was right and Winry would most likely be less horrified and angry this way, than if she came to find Ed in this state without any warning. He still felt highly uncomfortable about how Roy had just taken control of the situation in this way, though.

Ed was beginning to realise just how much him being injured like this was getting to Roy. He was stressed as hell, that was obvious. And Roy wasn't even giving Winry a chance to reply before he spoke again. "He has also suffered a broken nose and a sprained wrist as well as vast amounts of cuts due to a broken window. As both his wrist, automail and most of the cuts were the direct results of him being targeted by the criminal organisation that we are investigating, I suggest that you yell at me for his broken automail and not him."

That was when everything fit into place. Roy wanted to be blamed for all the crap that Ed had been put through since he was reassigned. He was obviously still really shaken by what that drug had made him see and felt very guilty about it.

Winry's voice was tearful and quiet. "...No, Colonel Mustang, I'll... How long will he be in the hospital?"

Then Roy suddenly frowned. "Miss Rockbell, we will have to call you back, an officer wants to speak with us."

Ed turned around, knowing that the glare that Roy had in his eyes was only caused by one person as far as he was aware. And sure enough, Schiff was walking towards them, looking sour.

Ed felt his stomach clench. He hadn't expected Schiff to turn up in the hospital. After all, he only found Ed's injuries irksome, didn't he?

"_Ed, salute him or you're going to get permanent nerve damage to your hand as soon as you get back into the office,_" Roy whispered behind him in a worried and urgent voice as he put the phone back.

Ed did as he was told, glaring at Schiff in disgust and hatred.

...And a bit of fear. This was most likely one of the higher-ups of a criminal organisation that was manipulating and controlling Ed's life without Ed being able to prove it. And it scared him. And the way that Schiff was looking right now made him even more scared. Because he had no idea what he was up to, only that the man was about to make his life even more hellish by the looks of it. "Why are you here, General?" Ed asked.

Schiff suddenly took on a look that was a lot softer than it should be and Ed knew that he was acting. "Well, Edward, I was informed that you are not too fond of hospitals, so I came here to fetch you. That way you can sleep in a nice, soft bed and get plenty of rest as you are obviously quite stressed by your surroundings. We'll be picking up your prescriptions on the way home."

Ed paused in confusion.

Roy gulped behind him.

Ed just stared at Schiff with his stomach clenching. He was seriously creeped out. "Why... What do you mean? Why should I go home with you? I'm supposed to stay in the hospital for a few days... And Colonel Mustang has to sign the rel-"

He froze as realisation sunk in. Roy wasn't the one required to do it because the temporary guardianship was given to Ed's CO.

...Which meant that Ed was now legally Schiff's ward.

Schiff smirked. "I guess I neglected to mention it to you earlier, Edward, but you're my ward as you're under my command. But it will be fine. You'll find that I'm not half as strict at home as I am in the office. So now we can get to know each other without being commanding officer and subordinate, but just as guardian and ward. So your bedroom has already been prepared and I think you're going to find it to be very nice. After all, I have to take care of my ward, now don't I? And you don't have to worry, I've already assigned a couple of guards to look after you when I leave for the office tomorrow."

Ed could only stare. This wasn't happening. He was supposed to stay with Roy. He was supposed to be safe with him and get a break from Schiff.

And now the bastard was being all considerate and "kind", only so that he wouldn't be at risk of being accused of child abuse.

And that was a hell of a lot scarier than if he was just being an abusive bastard. "N-no..." was all he could think of saying. He wasn't going to spend every day of this mess right in the enemy's lair. That way Roy wouldn't be able to make a move against Schiff and his gang without fearing for Ed's safety, meaning that it wouldn't ever end until Ed was able to move out in four years. Which meant that Al was going to be trapped in that suit of armour for all that time. "What about Al?!" Ed suddenly demanded, fear making his stomach clench, even if he knew the answer already.

"Well, Edward, Alphonse Elric is not my ward, is he? As a civilian, his guardian is still Pinako Rockbell. So as to not risk any trouble, I think that it would be for the best if your brother stayed with Colonel Mustang as Mrs. Rockbell has approved of him and not me as of yet. Unless you and Alphonse both want your brother to stay with me as well, of course?"

Ed was creeped out by the use of his first name. And yet he knew that keeping Al out of the house was a hell of a lot better. Ed wanted his little brother to stay with someone who wasn't a criminal. "No, he'll stay with the Colonel. That's okay."

Schiff smiled in a way that gave Ed the feeling that he was about to get eaten alive. "Well, Edward, I've already signed the release papers, so let's get you home."

"Y-yeah... Just... Just give me a sec... I'd like a word in private with Mustang about my brother... I'll meet you by the front doors in ten minutes."

Schiff nodded and suddenly walked all the way over to Ed, pulling off his own coat and placing it over Ed's shoulders, making shivers go down Ed's spine. "Can't have you getting a cold on top of everything, can we, Edward? I'll go buy you something to drink in the meantime." And with that he left and Ed stared until he disappeared into the doorway for the stairs.

He immediately felt Roy remove the coat as soon as Schiff was gone, before he threw it on the bench he had been sitting on like it was burning him. Ed turned back around to face Roy, not knowing what to say or do. "This... No... I can't..." Ed said, stunned and horrified.

Roy was pale and looked torn between hugging Ed and running after Schiff and burning him alive in the middle of a military hospital.

He settled on hugging Ed.

Ed settled on hugging him back and whispering furiously at him. "_He meant for us to figure him out. That's why he chose Jones. He wanted us to know so that he could do this so that I could be taken hostage..._"

"I'm... I'm sorry, Ed... But I'll get you back, I swear. But I think he won't hurt you at his house because claims of child abuse will ruin his plan. I'll talk with General Grumman, tell him that you need guards who are familiar with the Black Shadows' MO. I'll convince him to let it be me and one of the others. After all, my flame alchemy still works, even if my other physical abilities have been reduced. My attack is still one of the strongest that the military has to offer, so it'll work out. So I'll at least be seeing you tomorrow, I can promise you that... So when you get to his house, you're tired and need to get to bed as soon as possible, okay? It's seven in the evening already. You just... fall asleep at the table if necessary, okay?" Roy said equally urgently.

Ed felt like crying. But he was in the middle of a hospital corridor, already getting noticed by quite a few people, and so he didn't.

But dammit if he didn't need this hug right now. Schiff had given him something that he needed desperately, only to strip it away from him. But at least Al would be kept out of this. Al would be with someone safe. "Take care of Al. Help him. Please. Look for clues. Just... Just something... I-I can't give up... But please try to find something that can give us a way out of this before I turn eighteen."

"Of course, Ed. But I'm not giving up on you, I swear. I'm getting you back. I swear I'm getting you back."

Ed hated this. Even if he could get Roy assigned to guard him, then that would only be temporary as the attacks on Ed would stop and once he wasn't an easy target because his injuries would be healed, then Ed was back in the office without Roy.

...And then it would be riding with Schiff to and from the office. It would be living with him as a hostage to torment Roy so that the Black Shadows could spread and grow with little opposition. Everything was going to hell. People were going to die. Ed was hardly going to see Al.

He just closed his eyes and pressed the good side of his face into Roy's chest, fighting against the tears.

"Edward... I'm sorry... But... I hate to say it, but the best thing you could do might just be to resign and take the State Alchemist exam again when you're eighteen."

Ed felt his insides twist. Because fact was, Roy was right. But that was only if Ed didn't get back on his team. He couldn't just resign now. "No... I'll still be a target as long as these Shadow jerks are out there. And if I let Schiff lose me as a hostage, then he'll just do it to the others. I can't sacrifice people just because I'm scared." Ed then pulled back and gave him a nod so as to tell him to kneel down. Roy did, and so Ed was once again pulled into another hug as he began whispering into Roy's ear. "Besides, I'm too perfect of a hostage for Schiff not to try to keep me... And he knows about my weak points too. I can't have him going after the Rockbells and he could easily pressure me with Alphonse. I can't allow anything like that to happen..."

Roy sighed. "I'm so sorry about this, Ed. But once you go back to work, you can still have your lunches with us. And he can't keep you from visiting us."

Ed felt terrified of what lay ahead. He didn't want this. He didn't know what was going to happen, only that he was going to be alone and living with the enemy.

And so he just hugged Roy, feeling Roy put his hand at the back of his head so that Ed wouldn't be more hurt than necessary while still getting a good, one-armed hug.

Ed was going to miss this.

* * *

Roy held Ed to him, feeling sick and his stomach was clenching. He had just got Ed, and now he was losing him just like that. Out of all things that could have happened, then this was one of the worst he could imagine. And he had to stop it. He couldn't let Ed be stuck with Schiff for the next four years. He couldn't live with that bastard.

If worst came to worst, then Roy was sure that Hawkeye wouldn't mind using her sniper skills. After all, Schiff couldn't claim Ed when Schiff was dead.

But that would be too risky. The bastard was bound to be guarded and Roy would easily end up losing those around him and Hawkeye would find herself getting executed.

Schiff suddenly came walking out from the staircase, carrying what looked like a smoothie and he was holding a note in his other hand. And he was looking at them in a way that confirmed it very clearly that this had been his plan ever since Ed was reassigned. They were nothing but marionettes.

"Edward, he's coming back..." Roy whispered, feeling hate boiling in his entire being. He was itching to burn that bastard for what he was doing to Ed. To Al. To everyone on the team. To Roy.

"Dammit," Ed said, before pulling out of the hug.

But not before Roy could press a kiss to his cheek. That bastard was taking his kid away from him. And it was all just to prove a point. To rub Roy's powerlessness in his face. And doing so by taking Ed hostage in such a disgusting way.

And he couldn't stop it. Schiff outranked him and he was Ed's temporary guardian as long as Ed stayed in the military and was a minor.

"So Daddy Roy is saying goodbye, huh?" Schiff said.

The man was gloating. He was gloating about what he was doing to Roy.

"I have every right to do so, General," Roy said angrily.

Schiff suddenly held out a note with a few numbers written on it. "As his little brother will stay in your care, I suggest you give him this. It's **_our_** home number. It's very reasonable. Even if the Elrics don't want Al to stay with me, then Ed should get to keep in contact."

Roy glared at him. He was claimin Ed in a way that he had no right to because he just wanted to torment Roy. The bastard was acting completely different because he was off duty and would thereby not be facing any accusations of neglect and abuse on a private basis. He was going from physical to mental torment.

And he was enjoying the effect this was having on Ed and Roy.

He wanted them to suffer.

...And he was succeeding.

And so Roy grabbed the small note as he stood up and Ed turned around to face the bastard.

Schiff, however, just calmly walked back over to the bench, picking up the coat. "I suppose that hug really warmed you up, Edward, but you need something to wear. That way we won't need to change you out of your clothes, which will surely be painful to you." He then held out the coat and draped it over Ed's shoulders, earning a wince from the boy.

Schiff was using it to really just mark Ed as **_his_**. He was just rubbing it in.

Roy couldn't help but growl in disgust.

Ed turned to look at Roy, his eyes filled with fierceness and misery. "See you around. And take care of Al and the rest."

Roy nearly burned Schiff just on principle as the bastard put his hands on Ed's shoulders after giving the kid the smoothie. "Come now, Edward. It's time to go home."

Ed winced as Schiff's hands came into contact with him, which was when horrible realisation hit Roy. Because who was going to change Ed's bandages now? There were only two options.

Roy suddenly realised just what Schiff really wanted him to do.

He was giving Roy a choice.

To either let Ed stay both free and trapped at the same time at Schiff's house...

Or to let Schiff push Roy's relation with the Elrics into something that left Roy more vulnerable than ever and that would leave no chance of going back. Something that would change everything and that was the one thing that Roy would never want to be forced to do because the Elrics deserved so much better than that. But Schiff wanted him to choose that option. And he knew that Roy would choose it.

...But Schiff also wanted and would succeed in always giving it a bittersweet taste. Always leaving that terrible seed of doubt in the Elrics' minds as a result. He was making a damn contingency plan to ensure their torment in the event that something should let them beat him. And he had been planning something like this for years.

"Ed, I'll take care of Alphonse, don't worry. Now you just make sure to get plenty of bedrest and then I'll see you soon."

"Good night, Mustang," Schiff said, turning Ed around and leading him away from Roy.

Roy couldn't help it.

He quickly tore off the bandages on his left hand with his teeth, pulled his left ignition glove out of his pocket and pulled it on, not giving a damn about the pain from both hands or the blood that began spreading in the inside of his palm. All he needed was dry fingers and it was his left hand that he used for his pinpoint aiming. He couldn't mess this up by changing that right now and thereby risking things not to go as smoothly as they needed to go.

And so he snapped his fingers quietly and burned a five-by-five centimetre bald patch into the top of Schiff's greying brown hair without the man noticing. That was the joy of being able to manipulate the air.

...Because he could also manipulate the smell of burnt hair away from his target.

Then he bit his lip, feeling his stomach clench.

Ed was being taken away.

And Roy was powerless to stop it.

...For now.

Which meant that he had to get to work.

And so he picked up his discarded bandages and strode over to his room, walking right inside, Hawkeye immediately noticing his bleeding hand. "Sir? Where is Edward?" she asked, grabbing a lot of tissues on her way over to him.

"Schiff's his legal guardian as his CO... He's taking Ed home with him. I need you to phone Grumman and get him here as soon as possible, as well as Alphonse," Roy said sternly, before turning to Havoc. "I need you to help me fix up my hand so that I can phone Pinako Rockbell. Ed's having his bandages changed again tomorrow afternoon. I need to have adopted the Elrics before that."

There was shocked and horrified silence for about two seconds.

Then the two soldiers went "Yes, sir!" simultaneously before setting to work on his orders, Hawkeye pressing the tissues into his hand as she strode past him.

* * *

"You know, Ed, I never told you my first name..." Schiff began as soon as he had sat down in front next to Ed. He had held the passenger side door open for Ed as they reached the car, before closing it for him, acting like a considerate and responsible guardian.

Ed had been in a constant state of edginess and goosebumps. He was beginning to realise that he had only known Schiff as how he was in the office. But this was the corrupt bastard behind that "make mindless and obedient pawns for the military's best interests" mask. Ed didn't know who that person was. Only that he was manipulative as hell and had taken Ed hostage.

"And why should it matter to me?" Ed asked with a sneer as Schiff started up the car and began driving. He hated this sorry excuse for a man. He hated him so intensely. He hated him and he feared him and he wanted to get as far away from him as possible.

...But he couldn't do that without getting those he cared about hurt. So he would just have to take all of this bullshit.

He was going to be trapped in this miserable fear, most likely until he turned eighteen. And then he'd still be trapped in that bastard's office.

"It's Edmund. Edmund Reuben Schiff. Which means that we're both Eds. Now isn't that a funny coincidence?" Schiff said, his mouth tilting in a smirk.

Ed felt another wave of shivers going down his spine. "Not gonna call you that, though. So that doesn't matter, now does it?"

The bastard chuckled. "Knew you'd figure it out, Edward... It's been fun, though, making you believe that I was just some strict megalomaniac who produced mindless soldiers and that that was all there was to me. I've had all of them fooled for so long. So you don't have to go all "sir" and "General" on me. It's funnier to just watch you like this. All grumpy and like the emotional adolescent that you are."

Ed glared at him. "So just who the hell are you, then?"

He found it unnerving that Schiff responded with a shrug. That the man who had flogged him and made him pull down his boxers so as to mutilate his butt with a belt, had been doing it just as an act. "Well, you see, I always had a fondness for acting classes during my youth. And it stuck with me. It's very fun to not be what people think you are. To constantly fool them without them knowing it. It gives you tremendous amounts of power over those around you. It makes you able to push their buttons because you're unreadable while everyone else is not."

"Sounds like a megalomaniac to me..." Ed commented.

Schiff chuckled again. "Never said I wasn't. But Major General Schiff is most certainly my most famous role. And it's a quite enjoyable one. The power and fear, the way I can shape my subordinates into my puppets and watch as they do my bidding... All because of how well I'm acting. It's the greatest form of applause there is. To just watch as I fool each and everyone around me... There's nothing like it, Ed. I'd advise you to try it, but you're already a rather accomplished actor yourself, aren't you?"

"Shut the hell up!" Ed said. An abusive bastard General was far better than this psychotic actor he was apparently sitting next to.

Schiff just chuckled again. "There you go again, Ed... That fierce, short-tempered teenage alchemic prodigy. The fighting machine that nobody can compete with... And who wants nothing more than a hug from Daddy Roy because that nasty general hurt him..."

Ed glared and blushed at the same time. "I told you to shut the hell up! I know you've been listening to everything I've said ever since I was assigned to you! So stop lording it over me with all your "I know stuff about you that you don't want people to know" shit! Why do you think I went with you in the first place?! So just shut up about it!"

Schiff chuckled even more and it was getting on Ed's nerves while also making him edgy as hell. "Well, how about I tell you something new? Something that you didn't know? But that Daddy Roy realised just before we left?"

"Stop toying with me!" Ed said angrily. He had to admit that he was terrified.

Once again the sick bastard chuckled. "Well, you remember that nice, little conversation that you and Daddy Roy had in the car the night before the flogging?"

Ed thought back to it and froze. "Your wife... The one you flogged Roy for kissing. The one who kept sending him letters... She's in on this, isn't she?" he asked, feeling his stomach clench.

"She's a kindred spirit, indeed. And her age is perfect... Age difference can make a lot of soldiers talk and let down their guard because she is surely bored by her much older husband... And she too enjoys the way that she can scout out people we may want to keep an eye on. Take your dear Daddy Roy, for instance... Young, clearly smart as hell and with a lot of potential. And so she got under his skin. Learnt a lot of his personality from that... She provided me with valuable information when we had to choose which one of his subordinates to take. I thought that Hawkeye would work best, but then Henrietta came up with this brilliant idea... Because she knew how similar you two can be. And how easily we could push you into liking each other. How we could give Daddy Roy a couple of sons, force that soft heart of his to completely embrace the poor, orphaned boy who tries so hard to stay strong for his little brother. How could he not when he is so guilt-ridden? When he blames himself so easily just like yourself. He hides it so well, but he is exactly like you. Strong and tough façade, but hiding a softie who just wants to save the world underneath. I mean, what potential wasn't there in you three together? Daddy Roy's relationship with that assistant of his doesn't leave half as much fun as you three do. Seeing your relationship evolve like this... So much fun. So easy to break. And you, Ed, you're terrific... So fun to watch you break down and cry into Daddy Roy's chest. But it's good for you to let it out, you know? In many ways, we've done you a huge favour, Ed..." Schiff said conversationally as he pulled the car up outside a pharmacy. "So now we can all build up our organisation while Daddy Roy can't stop it because of his dear Elrics."

"You bastard!" Ed exclaimed. He felt so cornered and outnumbered. He was so uncomfortable, and yet he knew that he couldn't leave. He was being both physically and psychologically tortured at once because sitting like this was making his back and butt hurt like hell.

What he didn't expect was for Schiff to suddenly and swiftly pull Ed into a hug and press a syringe into his neck.

Ed froze in the painful iron grip, his back screaming in discomfort as Schiff whispered into his ear. "I can't have you remember our conversation, you know. Can't have you tell people about my greatest secret. So it's sleepy time and you're not going to remember anything of what I just said. You'll wake up once we're home," he said urgently.

Ed was completely creeped out as his mind became fuzzy and everything began spinning.

And Schiff was speaking again, but back in his normal, strict voice as he let Ed slump back into the seat. "You're so weak, Elric. You need to get beaten into shape, you pathetic weakling. You really are a disgrace to the military, you know."

Which was the last thing Ed heard as he was pulled into the darkness.

* * *

"This is Winry Rockbell," came the young girl from before.

"Hello, Miss Rockbell, it's Colonel Mustang again. Sorry I had to hang up like that, but it was Ed's new CO and he wanted a word."

"Oh... But why isn't Ed the one calling?" Winry asked, obviously worried.

"I need to talk with your grandmother. Things have taken an unexpected turn and I need to sort it out as quickly as possible."

The girl obviously held her hand over the mouthpiece as she shouted for her grandmother to come to the phone, before she spoke to Roy again. "She'll be there in thirty seconds, until then, you'd better tell me just where Ed is, Colonel Mustang!" she demanded, obviously not appreciating Roy's lack of information on the wellbeing of her childhood friend.

"I'm no longer Ed's CO, meaning that I'm not his legal guardian, meaning that General Schiff has just signed the release papers and taken Ed home with him," Roy told her.

The girl gasped. "But you said that he was the one who flogged him!"

"Yes, I did. Which is why I need to speak to your grandmother as Pinako Rockbell is still the legal guardian for Alphonse and as Schiff is only a temporary one while Ed is in the military, her opinion should weigh some."

"You'll get her right now."

There was some clacking and then the phone was picked up with a grunt. "Colonel Mustang, might I ask why Ed isn't the one talking?"

"I'll be blunt, Mrs. Rockbell. Edward has been taken home to live with the bastard general who had no qualms about flogging him twenty times with a cat o'nine tails to the point that he screamed. I need to get him out of there because as long as he is trapped in that house, he's been separated from Alphonse and he's not resigning because he's Ed. The reason he signed up in the first place is being robbed from him and I'm not going to watch that happen until he turns eighteen. Which means that I need you to back me up when you get a phone call from some high-ranking official, quite possibly the Führer, and agree to me adopting the Elrics."

There was silence at the other end.

"I would have thought that this was some cruel joke if it hadn't been for the fact that you're calling Ed by his first name like it's the most natural thing in the world. However, I'm not exactly keen on the idea of you adopting them. And what about the boys? Have they said anything about this?"

"They don't know yet. I didn't want to tell Edward before I could be certain that I'd get him out. The idea only struck me about thirty seconds before Ed was taken away by General Schiff. I'm going to talk with Alphonse once he comes back here, he's helping out with repairs after the explosion. We're bringing a lieutenant general here as well that we know well. He's the one who managed to get the original forty lashes down to twenty, and he's got Ed's best interests at heart and he's an excellent tactician. He'll help us get this done as quickly as possible. And that really needs to happen because I'm not having that bastard change Ed's bandages tomorrow afternoon. I don't like it, but if Ed is to stay in the military and be together with his brother, then this is the only option there is. Schiff has no claims to keep Ed in his house when I'm his legal father, and rank won't have anything to say in the matter. My wishes will be the only thing of consequence."

"You know that this is disgusting, don't you, Mustang? After everything that those boys have been through, after everything that they have lost, you want me to condone you adopting my grandsons out of **necessity?** Do you have any idea how cruel that is?" she asked, obviously furious with him.

"Don't you think I know that damn well?!" Roy said angrily. "Do you seriously think that I want to have them spend the rest of their time with me with a bittersweet taste in their mouths because it's all built on a case of the lesser of two evils?! I damn well hate it!"

"Tell me, Mustang: Would you regret it later?" she asked after a while, her tone stern.

Roy thought about it and sighed. "I would regret the circumstances for how it happened, but not the adoption itself. The boys have been living me for the past week and I don't mind it in the slightest to have them staying for as long as they want and need to. It's not just because I need to get Ed out of that bastard's house, I want to be able to keep them both in my own. If I hadn't wanted them, then I would have tried to find another way instead of immediately reaching this conclusion as the best way to do this. I know that last time you checked, Ed and me didn't exactly get along, but now we do. Al can confirm it once he gets here."

The statement was only met by over a minute of tense silence, before the oldest Rockbell spoke again. "You know that we could just move Rockbell Automail to East City, right?"

"No." Roy had expected the question, and he had already thought it through. "First of all, that would make you two very easy targets for getting back at Ed and Al. Secondly, the boys would never want to lose their remaining home in Resembool because of this. Thirdly, Ed would feel guilty for forcing you to move like that just because of him."

What Roy wasn't expecting was for the three laughing coughs that she gave the statement. "I knew that that would be how they'd feel, I just needed to know if you knew too." Then she sighed sadly right before her voice turned stern and angry. "I don't want you to adopt them, Mustang. And especially not like this. Those boys deserve something far better and this is just cruel. I don't like this and I don't like the way that you're obviously not telling me something very important about all of this. I don't trust you and I don't want to trust you with those boys when the last thing Ed told me about you was that you're a smug, annoying, womanising bastard."

Roy had to take a deep breath before he spoke through gritted teeth so as not to yell. "I can't tell you everything because it's classified information that could put you and your granddaughter at significant risk. That bastard took my kid away from me, and I made Ed a promise four days ago. I promised Edward that I wouldn't give up on him. That I wouldn't give up on either of them. That is exactly what I'm doing if I let that bastard keep Ed. I'll be failing them both. I've already failed to do as Ed told me about not getting drugged again after just three days... And I'll tell you what I saw when I was. I saw Ed lying in a bed next to me and he was in a coma because of severe brain trauma. I saw Al coming in to tell me that the Doctor had just informed him to be prepared that Ed might never wake up again. I watched how Al was grasping at straws desperately. I hallucinated that I was him. And then suddenly I woke up and found Ed lying on his stomach on top of my right leg. The thing I had thought was a cast, was Ed lying right there, a pillow under his stomach and he was awake and demanding hamburgers like it was the most natural thing in the world. Do you have any idea how happy I was at that moment? To wake up from that hellish nightmare or hallucination or whatever it was, and find Ed demanding hamburgers because I had said that fast food was going to be limited to once a month? That was three hours ago. Three hours ago I was more relieved than ever because Ed was alive and Al hadn't lost his brother. And then thirty minutes ago, that bastard general came and took my kid away from me."

There were another ten seconds of silence. "Answer me honestly, Colonel Mustang: Does this have anything to do with you wanting to keep Ed as your subordinate or as something to help you towards a promotion?" she asked with a kind of sharp scepticism.

Roy squeezed the phone for patience through his stress, causing him to hiss with pain due to his injured hand.

"So that is what this is, huh? You want a promotion and you're getting impatient with me?" came the old woman irritatedly and coldly through the phone. She was obviously protective of the Elrics, and Roy hadn't exactly given the best kind of impressions before now.

"NO, DAMMIT!" Roy shouted, before taking a deep breath to calm his voice. "It was because I squeezed the phone so that I won't yell at you, which was a pretty bad idea as I had my left palm slashed open fifteen times with a five millimetre blade attached to a cane because I told Schiff that I wasn't going to let him torture Ed further earlier today! And as to my right, it's currently out of commission as my shoulder was impaled due to the explosion, meaning that my arm's in a sling and my right collarbone is broken. This doesn't have anything to do with promotions or anything like that, because Ed specifically asked me to "stop with that self-pity "I'm your CO and it's my duty because I'm the almighty Colonel" guilt crap and just start being his Dad." He asked me to be his father, so how the hell can I just let that abusive bastard take him away like that?!"

There was another round of shocked silence. "Ed told you to be his Dad?"

Roy sighed, feeling his stomach clench. "Yes, he did. He did and I can't let it only be two hours later that I don't fulfil my role. I need to get him back. I need those boys. You didn't see Ed as he had to pull out of the hug because Schiff came back to fetch him. He's in misery, Mrs. Rockbell. I can't leave him with that bastard. I can't have him treat the wounds that he inflicted on my boy, making Ed flinch with every touch and telling him how weak he is for doing so. But I need your help to get him back... So please, Mrs. Rockbell..." Roy felt his voice break slightly as he whispered into the phone. "...Please help me get my child back. You can hate me all you like, but please... Please just help me be a better father for those boys than Hohenheim because I can't leave Ed in that hell with a broken heart and a broken promise from someone he trusted not to do so... Just please... I'm asking for an adoption instead of permanent guardianship because I want to at least do it fully instead of making it into only a necessity. I'm choosing that they be my sons and not my wards... So please, Mrs. Rockbell... I just want my kids back."

* * *

"Wake up, Edward, I'm not carrying you inside the house. Not when your back is just going to get worse from it."

Ed opened his eyes sluggishly. His head was pounding. He looked about himself, taking in his surroundings. He was in the passenger side of a car, lying sideways on the seat with his feet still on the floor.

And above him was a very impatient-looking Schiff.

Ed felt his stomach clench, his mind immediately reaching one horrible conclusion. "Did you kidnap me?"

Schiff shook his head. "No. You might be a bit fuzzy, but as you might remember if you just use your head a bit, you're my ward as I'm your CO, which means that we're home."

Ed just stared. He seriously didn't want to get up, especially as he knew that everything would hurt so much more and he was still trying to sort through his memories as they came slowly back to him.

Then he scowled. "You drugged me... Afraid that I'd try to escape, General?"

"I didn't want to risk you thinking you're being clever while I was at the pharmacy."

Ed scoffed, glaring at him, not bothering to sit up and move before he actually felt sure that he wouldn't go face first into the ground the second he stepped out of the car. He still felt sluggish and drowsy. And so he was going to enjoy this little piece of pissing Schiff off before going inside his "new home". Making bad guys angry while being secretly scared shitless was a specialty of his, after all. "You know, taking me hostage, drugging me and taking me to somewhere I don't wanna be sounds an awful lot like kidnapping..."

"You didn't protest it though, did you, Edward?" Schiff asked with a smirk and a raised eyebrow. "Now I suggest we finish this conversation inside the house. I'll show you to your new room right away, you should lie down, after all."

"You should wait a minute or two, it's the least you could do as you're the one who drugged me. You don't want your neighbours to grow worried when you bring your new ward inside, do you?" Ed asked snidely.

"So this is what you're like when not being angrily forced out of your adolescent insubordination? How tedious. You're far too predictable, you know that, right?"

Ed gave him the finger. "Bastard."

Schiff just looked at him like he was disappointed. "Like I said, predictable. But we have a nice, long talk in front of us, so how about you come with me?"

"Oh, Ed! You're home!" came a female voice all of a sudden, as well as the patter of high-heeled feet moving quickly towards the car. "How's our new houseguest doing? Is he terribly hurt?"

Ed sat up at that, leaving the coat on the seat. He looked up at Schiff in confusion, only to have him smirk down at him. "It's okay, Hon. He's just a bit tired," he said, before focusing all of his attention upon Ed. "You didn't know that I'm an Ed too?"

Ed felt like throwing up. This was getting creepy as hell and he needed to get away from here. But he couldn't. He couldn't leave. He was a free hostage.

And he was terrified.

"Although my name's Edmund. Edmund Reuben Schiff. And this here..." he said, holding out his arm as a woman with golden-brown hair going down past her shoulders in waves stepped over and leaned into Schiff's chest with a bright smile. She was wearing a tight, bright violet dress that went to mid-thigh. And she looked like she was in her late twenties, meaning that there was over twenty years in age difference. "And this is Henrietta Schiff, my wife."

Ed felt his stomach clench even further. This was the wife that Roy had snogged all those years ago and that had earned him a flogging.

But she didn't look like she actually knew what was going on. Instead she smiled brightly and leaned forwards, gently reaching out to help him out of the car. "Oh, you poor child! You're such a sweet one, and look what happened to you! Now come on inside, I've prepared you lots of ice cream because you have got to be feeling sick with all those nasty painkillers!"

Ed just glared at her and pulled out of her grip. It just wasn't making any sense for a woman like this to actually stay with Schiff and look at him in the way she had. Because the two of them loved each other. Even if Ed hated it, the look in the Schiffs' eyes were those that Mom had had when she had looked at Hohenheim before he left.

Which meant that the bitch hadn't been cheating on her husband that time.

"You set Roy up all those years ago. You were trying to get information on him, weren't you?! You've been planning this for years! So just get your filthy fingers off of me!"

He didn't like that the response was only met with a little snort of laughter from Henrietta and an exasperated sigh from Schiff. "Wow, Edmund, you weren't joking... Now come on, young man, it's time for bed."

Ed could see the silent warning in Schiff's eyes that it wasn't optional or Roy was going to suffer.

And so Ed couldn't help the gasp of pain as he was guided out of the car by Henrietta, the movement causing his back and his rear to scream with pain.

"Oh, that hurt, did it? Well, that's not good, Edward, you need something for the pain..." Henrietta said, fake-concerned.

Ed found himself glaring at her. He was instantly hating her just as much as her husband. "I'm not taking any painkillers because of what you bastards do to me. So you can just piss off."

Henrietta didn't give a damn, but just led him up to the house with her hands on his shoulders. It was a pretty large, red brick building with a small garden in front if the house, a little gravel path leading up to it from the garage that they had just walked out of.

When they went inside, the first thing Ed thought about the smell was that it was sour in a way. It was hard to explain, but it was unpleasant. It wasn't like it was with Roy. His house smelt welcoming and safe... This felt like Ed was meant to just shrivel up and die here. Like it was the end of the line.

...And it fitted him being a hostage very well.

"Well, Edward, we've prepared the downstairs guest bedroom for you, so that you won't need to take those nasty stairs what with your injuries," Henrietta said, guiding Ed through the hallway and into a room to the right. The bedroom was painted dark brown with white windowsills and light brown curtains, the single bed was painted white and had a tall headboard covered with five pillows, two large, black ones at the back, two medium-sized, dark green ones in front of those and a small, white pillow in the middle.

But what Ed found unnerving was the fact that the duvet cover was patterned with grazing sheep.

"We thought it would remind you of your hometown and your loved ones, Edward," came Schiff's voice behind him, and Ed froze.

Then he felt frightened anger surge through him as his stomach clenched. "You bastards! There's no reason to rub it in! I know that I'm a hostage while you're keeping me here because I can't let those I care about get hurt! So just drop the act and be honest with me, would you?!"

The hands on his shoulders suddenly paused in a few seconds of silence, before Schiff strode around him, Henrietta still with her hands on his shoulders. Then Schiff was glaring down at him, reaching out and cupping Ed's chin, smirking. "You really do miss your Daddy Roy, don't you, Edward? Well, how about we give you something to really feel like you're together with him at all times? Like you're his just like you want to be?"

Ed felt dread sink into him. "What are you up to now?!"

Next second, Schiff was grabbing his shoulders and keeping him still as Henrietta grabbed the plait that Hawkeye had made for him at the hospital. "HEY! WHAT THE HELL DO YOU THINK YOU'RE DOING?!" Ed demanded, feeling trapped. He couldn't actually fight them. He couldn't because they had leverage.

When he heard and felt the scissors at the top of his plait, he froze, glaring up at Schiff. "You're cutting my hair?! Get the hell away from me! You're acting all kind and shit just so that you won't get accused of child abuse, and THIS is what you do?!"

Schiff just kept smirking down at him. "This isn't child abuse, Edward. This is just us indulging the way you're missing your Daddy Roy and want to stay closer to him."

Ed felt shivers go down his spine. They were cutting Ed's hair like Roy's so that when Ed next met him, Roy was going to have a guilt trip every time he looked at Ed.

Ed wanted to cry. He wanted to get away from here and he wanted to just find himself waking up back at the dorms because this had all just been some stupid nightmare. Some damned nightmare that Ed would wake up from, get a hug for, and then find Roy making him cocoa or something.

But the pain was too real. There was no way that the pain in his rear was just a dream. Nor the cuts or everything else.

Ed was here, and these bastards were cutting his hair to mark Ed as their own in that manipulative, bastardly way of theirs. It was just as efficient, if not even more so, than the chain around a slave's neck. It was going to tell Roy and the others that Ed was a hostage whose wellbeing relied on their actions, and it was probably meant to be something to get Al to lose his trust in Roy.

It was too easy to imagine his little brother's shocked voice.

**_"How could you let them do this to him, Roy?!"_**

And Winry and Granny were going to be furious with Roy. Everything was going even more to hell. And because it was Roy's haircut, the lies were so easy to make.

He glared up at Schiff in front of him. "Damn you... You sick bastards! All of you!"

"Oh, there you are, Adam, just in time," was all that Schiff said as he looked towards the bedroom door instead.

"Stay still, Edward, or I'll get this wrong," came Henrietta's stern voice behind him as he moved to turn his head towards the door, and Ed ceased the movement.

"I got it from the office, just like you said, Uncle," came Milton, just as smug as ever.

Ed felt like hitting everyone in the room and screwing the consequences.

"Thank you, Adam, I'm sure Edward will appreciate this."

"Of course! And it's nice to see you too, Aunt!" then the brat stepped over to Ed. "And there's Edward. Heard you had a bit of an accident in the dorms today, I hope your dear Daddy Roy isn't feeling too bad..."

Ed could hear the triumphant sneer, even if Milton was out of his line of vision.

"So the whole office is in on this too? You're all just a bunch of bastards working for the Black Shadows? Expanding it from within the military itself?"

Milton chuckled. "It's a good place to start. Now, lighten up, kid, I brought you a present to make your room feel really homely."

Then he held the object he had brought up in front of Ed's face.

Ed felt his insides twist. He hadn't had time to bring with him the framed photograph that he was given by the team when all this crap started. It had been staying in the office, and now all his smiling teammates and himself and Al were looking brightly up at the camera in a way that felt so wrong.

"Aren't you going to thank him, Edward? He was very nice to you when he went and fetched it for you," Schiff said, smirking.

Ed knew what they were trying to do. They were trying to make him cry. They were trying to let him really feel as lonely and cut off from safety as he was. But even if they were succeeding, Ed would never let them get the satisfaction of making him cry like this. "He never apologised for my nose, I see no damn reason to."

"And so there's the alchemist with his equivalent exchange. You know, Edward, we really need to teach you when and how to use that **_correctly_** once we get back in the office."

Then suddenly Milton stepped away, walked over to the nightstand, set the picture down, then walked back over to Ed and held up something else. "Brought all these other photos so as to get your haircut just right, Edward. Aunt Henrietta is a very skilled hairdresser, so she needs lots of pictures to get your new style perfect. So just look through this perfect collection of shots. You're going to look just like your Daddy Roy, aren't ya happy?" Milton said smugly.

Then he began flipping through the stack of pictures that had been taken with the hidden cameras. There was a couple from when Roy followed Ed to the outfitters. There were a few from the infirmary. There were a few from walking through the different corridors. There were three from the belting, and another two of Roy as his hand was being beaten with the cane.

...And there were fifteen from four days ago when Roy had first hugged him. There was Ed crying into his chest, or the two of them eating pizza, or laughing, or just sleeping, or hugging, or hugging while sleeping.

All those moments where Ed had felt so good and safe, felt so much better about the shitty situation he had been trapped in. And now they were being used to make Ed feel sick and horrified and angry and embarrassed and everything that shouldn't be associated with those moments. Then he realised what it was all about. "That attack that night was just so that you could fetch these, wasn't it?" he growled.

Which was when Ed heard the scissors make a loud cut and he felt the sudden weightlessness of his remaining hair, meaning that his plait was gone.

And sure enough, it was suddenly thrown on the floor in front of him, the plait thudding slightly as the end with the hair tie hit the floorboards.

Ed closed his eyes, feeling like throwing up and crying. He was completely trapped. He had no idea what was coming. What would happen to Roy and the others.

"I think it's better if we do the rest in the bathroom, Edmund," came Henrietta's voice behind his head. "It's got better light and need to wash his hair in the sink so as to get this perfect. It would be such a shame if it became wrong when Ed wanted it so badly."

And so Ed was led to the bathroom, limping slowly.

And Schiff was holding a "supporting" hand on his shoulder port.

"Well, Uncle, Aunt, I'm off, see ya!" Milton said cheerfully. Then he bumped Ed lightly into his flesh shoulder, making the cuts sting. "You have fun here, Eddie-boy! It's a great place, and Uncle Ed really knows how to cook. See ya!"

And then he went off down the hallway, leaving Ed seething with anger and every damn emotion going through his body and mind. He wanted to scream. He wanted to run away after punching his way out of this.

But instead he was just letting himself be controlled as to where to go and where to be because he was living with the enemy.

The same enemy that was about to make his hair into a blonde version of Roy's.

He felt misery clenching in his stomach. His fringe and his antenna had been cut by Mom. She was the one who had made the base for his hair. He had just grown out his hair so as to have a plait as well. And now he was losing that for who knows how long.

"So, are you bastards gonna tell me anything, or just use me as a damn tool without giving me a single piece of information?"

"Keeping you in the dark is a lot safer. For you, that is. And for your brother. And the Rockbells. And the rest of your old team. And Daddy Roy. And then there's the Curtises in Dublith too, isn't there? And of course, there's Maes Hughes in Central with his lovely wife and daughter..." Schiff said as if commenting on the weather.

Ed froze. "You stay the hell away from all of them!"

"That's why we can't tell you anything, Edward. Now you do exactly as Henrietta tells you, and I'll make us some stew. Your mother had a very nice recipe that you gave Daddy Roy, I figured that we should try it out too as a welcoming meal."

It was lucky that they had reached the bathroom by then, because ten seconds later, Ed was emptying his stomach contents into the toilet.

And Henrietta was holding his fringe out of his face for him.

_Damn you._

* * *

Roy stepped out of the car, Hawkeye holding the door for him. He didn't care that he was still in his hospital clothes, including the slippers, he hadn't bothered to waste any time on changing or shaving or anything other than Hawkeye's insistence that she should brush his teeth for him.

The other car pulled up next to them, soon revealing Grumman stepping out of the backseat while the door was being held open by his assistant.

Roy had a clean shirt draped around his shoulders for warmth, ignition glove still on his right hand, and he looked over to Grumman's precious briefcase.

It had taken all night, they were all running on coffee, Al was waiting for them in the hospital together with the Rockbells that had been brought there by military car in the middle of the night. It was half past seven in the morning, but they had got it done as quickly as they possibly could most likely, considering that the Führer slept until six in the morning.

But they had made a compelling case, Alphonse was happy and horrified at the same time and had hugged Roy in thanks. Pinako had given him permission to call her by her first name after finally having agreed to support him after seeing him in person and talking to Al. Apparently greasy, unkempt hair, stubble, bloodshot eyes with bags included, whilst in a significant amount of pain because he had needed that balance between enough pain relief to not have the pain slow him down, but little enough for his mind to not be slowed down from the drugs, had made her realise just how serious Roy was about this.

And so with a few well-chosen phrasings to the Führer, they had achieved their goal. Apparently saying to the Führer that one of their most popular and promising State Alchemists was in serious risk of resigning because he was forced to live with someone he didn't like and wouldn't be gaining anything other than depression for the rest of his adolescence, had made quite an impact.

Roy knew that he could have asked Grumman to just take Ed over on his team or something, but with the hostages and everything, then not doing so was a given. The Black Shadows wanted it to be this way. And Roy couldn't gamble with Ed's wellbeing by trying to find a loophole. He couldn't waste any time. He needed to get Ed out of that hellhole.

And General Grumman had even joined them so as to make what was essentially an extraction mission go as smoothly as possible.

Roy had kept the Lieutenant General out of it. The man could read Roy well enough to tell that Ed wasn't safe there, and that had been good enough for him. Roy had known that the room was bugged as they made their plans, but that too had been to show these bastards that he was playing along and not acting up.

Yes, he was letting these bastards see how much Ed's safety meant to Roy and the rest of the team, but that didn't matter. Not when Ed was living in a house where he could suddenly find himself attacked and then wake up restrained in an abandoned warehouse.

So no, Roy didn't care. Al had agreed. Winry had cried and hugged Al. Pinako had puffed her pipe. Hawkeye, Havoc and Breda had cocked their guns just on principle. General Grumman had been a damn hero, signing documents in the Führer's stead per said Führer's orders and permission. Falman and Fuery had supplied them with coffee and something to eat during the night whenever they needed it.

And now Roy was striding up the driveway, only to watch as the front door was opened to reveal Schiff in his uniform, obviously leaving for work. He paused and saluted the two new arrivals. Roy saluted him back grudgingly.

"Lieutenant General Grumman, sir! May I inquire why you are here at such an early hour? Is there something urgent that can't wait until I get into the office?" Schiff said, sounding like the perfect soldier that he actually wasn't.

"Well, quite a few things have happened during the night, General Schiff, as Colonel Mustang has now adopted the Elrics. I am here in the Führer's stead so as to validate the claims, and I have all of the necessary documents in my briefcase. Why don't we discuss it while Colonel Mustang finds his now son and helps him pack his things?"

"Yes, sir!" Schiff said.

Roy gave General Grumman a salute and then strode past Schiff and inside the house, only to find Henrietta smiling pleasantly at him, dressed in a short nighty and a short bathrobe. "Oh, hello, Roy! This is a surprise!" she said cheerfully. "Did my husband let you in?"

Roy glared at her, barely restraining himself from punching her. "I'm only going to say this once, Mrs. Schiff: Tell me where MY Edward is right this instant!"

She pouted at him. "Why did you stop being so fun, Roy? We had a lot of good times, and I'm telling you, my husband's getting a bit thin in the hair on top... Couldn't we just pick things up where we left off?"

Roy almost snapped his fingers while feeling dread sink in. If they knew about how Roy had singed the bald patch into the top of Schiff's head due to his silent outburst of hatred, then Ed was probably suffering for it. "I think I ought to tell you that you are currently housing MY legal son without MY consent, and if you don't tell me just where the hell he is, I have legal grounds to have you arrested!"

She sighed and shook her head exasperatedly. "You were funnier when you were younger. Now come on, I think you'll find that we've taken excellent care of him. We even helped him get something that could let him remember his Daddy Roy all the time when he felt so lonely. It was such a dreadful sight. Edward had such a hard time falling asleep, he was still awake when we came with his night dose of painkillers at three o'clock tonight. But he finally fell asleep about three hours ago, so now he's sleeping heavily... You know how strong painkillers are. Out like a light."

Roy wanted to wring her neck. He wanted to beat her to a pulp. He wanted to save Ed and burn this wretched building to the ground.

And he felt his stomach clench in horror at the words "something that could let him remember his Daddy Roy all the time when he felt so lonely."

"Well, here we're here, see you around, Roy," Henrietta said, pointing at a door before walking off, blowing Roy a little kiss, making his anger flare.

But then he just slammed the door open, striding into the room, his hand stinging from the contact with the door handle. But he didn't care. All he cared about was the sleeping form in the bed in the other end of the room. Ed was lying on his right side with his back to the door, his body and most of his head covered by a duvet decorated with sheep.

"Hey, Ed, it's Roy, I've come to get you," Roy told him as softly as he could, considering the circumstances. He strode over, finding Ed's hand to be resting on the photo they gave him, the picture by his left knee.

Then Roy leaned forwards and froze.

_They didn't_...

He yanked the duvet off of Ed, and felt like burning something.

"**_Damn them!_**"

They had cut Ed's hair. They had left nothing that resembled his old style.

It was all **Roy's.**

There was no way in hell that the boy had agreed to this willingly. They had basically branded Ed.

Roy knelt down and gently pressed his lips to Ed's exposed cheek, carefully placing his hand on top of Ed's head. The boy was so beaten and bruised.

...And so small.

"Ed, it's Roy. I've come to get you out of here. Now just wake up, and we'll get going," Roy said into his ear.

Ed stirred, obviously recognising Roy's voice. Then he opened his eyes and looked up at him, looking like he thought that Roy wasn't real. "R-Roy? What are you doing here?"

"I've come to take you back to the hospital because that is my decision now, and not his." Roy sighed. "Edward, I know that this is sudden and wrong in many ways, but I've adopted the two of you."

Ed just stared at him. "You... You've what?"

"I've adopted you. Been working all night on it, but it's done and so now these bastards can't ever demand that you stay with them. Their opinions are irrelevant. You two are mine now."

Ed just kept staring at him, sitting up in a way that was obviously highly painful to him, before he got to his feet and looked at Roy in complete confusion. "You... You're serious? And they didn't drug me or something?"

"I am, Ed. I'm deadly serious. From now on, I'm your legal father, and I'm taking you with me," Roy told him.

Ed stared at him for about ten seconds.

Then he threw himself at Roy and began crying.

* * *

**And so I would like to ask you readers to please leave reviews :D**

**(But please no flames, they can be very discouraging and that really takes away my inspiration for a story)**


	21. Chapter 21

**Chapter twenty-one**

Roy just held Ed close to him, feeling sick at the fact that Ed was wearing a nightshirt. Meaning that these bastards had obviously stripped Ed and forced him to wear clothes that he had no interest in wearing.

And he felt like throwing up at the way that they had cut Ed's hair. Roy wouldn't have been surprised if they had washed his hair with Schiff's shampoo. He wanted to yell and burn these bastards to the ground.

His stomach clenched at the thought of how Ed had been in their "care" for the past twelve hours. How it meant that the people who weren't going to be accused of child abuse had decided to help Ed when going to the toilet. The Schiffs had put their hands on his boy and made him embarrassed about it. They had hurt him and scared him and held him hostage for the entire night and of course Ed hadn't been able to sleep when they did.

Roy closed his eyes, pressing his lips to Ed's temple, feeling his anger surge once again at the way his hair was so different. Then he just held the back of his head as Ed cried into Roy's shoulder, feeling the wrongness of his hair in a way that made his guilt twist his insides with disgust. "I'm so sorry, Ed... So sorry..." he whispered softly. He didn't know what else there was to say.

"Daddy Roy is at work again, then?" came Henrietta's voice behind them, and Roy paused, just as Ed did.

Then Ed pulled away and straightened up with a pained hiss as he glared at the woman.

Roy did the same, but placed himself in front of Ed protectively. "What do you want?"

She smiled innocently at him. "I merely wanted to say goodbye to Edward. It was very nice to have him visiting. So I'd just like to wish him a speedy recovery, that's all there is to it, Roy."

Roy wanted to say no. He wanted to forbid her from ever going near Ed ever again.

Instead Ed stepped out from behind him and limped towards her. "And I wish you a speedy trip to hell, Ma'am."

She laughed at that, before patting Ed's head affectionately, tousling his hair.

Roy growled at her. He would have punched her, told her to get filthy fingers off of Ed, if it hadn't been for the fact that Ed was letting her do it. There had to be a reason and Roy didn't really want to know just what would happen if it scared Ed enough to let her do it.

"Such a charming young man, aren't you, Ed? I'm going to miss your company. So you just know that you three are welcome to dinner any time you want. And we'll make an extra big portion for your brother, he's such a big fellow, after all."

Roy understood things very clearly at that moment. Those bastards probably had photographic proof of how Al didn't have a body.

Henrietta smiled pleasantly and left for the door, but paused in the doorway. "Oh, that's true, Roy... Edmund will be having a call to Central Command because he's so worried about the safety of his subordinate. He'll be asking for Lieutenant Colonel Hughes because you two work so well together. After all, your case is rather slowed down what with your injuries... I hope that your doctors will be helping you two heal very efficiently."

Then she left them alone, leaving Ed to turn around and look up at Roy in fear. "Basically, some of the doctors are working for them and we can't tell which ones, while Hughes is going to spend the next three days on a train that can easily be attacked, and the two clues add up to how we're not supposed to be doing anything but rest until Hughes is here."

Roy walked over to him, cupping his cheek. His stomach was clenching once again at the thought of how easily his best friend could face death if Roy acted up. How easily one of his adopted sons could find himself in a laboratory to be taken apart and examined. "Ed.. I'm so sorry... So sorry."

Ed just looked at him, his lips trembling slightly, his face portraying just how much emotional turmoil he was in. And how hellish his stay here had been. "Could we please just leave and then talk? We're being filmed right now and I just want to leave. I don't want them to have anymore pictures."

Roy nodded, feeling his stomach clench even further. He couldn't just ask Ed about it until they were in the car, and damn it if it didn't make him feel like a failure. Every time he looked at the involuntary haircut, he felt like shouting. And he felt the fear of facing the others and letting them see just twisted his relationship with Ed had become. With both Elrics.

"I'll get your picture, Ed," he said softly instead.

Ed just nodded.

Roy felt so sick as he walked over to the bed and grabbed the photograph, finding Ed's State Alchemist pocket watch lying on the nightstand. "Ed, this is your pocket watch, isn't it?" he asked, shoving it in his pocket as he looked back at Ed.

The boy nodded again. "Yeah, thanks, I forgot about it... They brought it in the middle of the night after they found it in the rubble..." he said quietly. "Yours is under the pillow."

Roy paused. He had been told that they were still searching for it. "Why did they bring it to you?"

"They were pretty dented so they couldn't tell which was which... They came here first since Schiff outranks you, and 'cos I was awake, they asked me to identify which one belonged to you. I told them I needed some time and that I was dizzy, so I'd get to it in the morning... Schiff was of course more than happy to back me up so as torment me further... So I kinda knew how to tell them apart by opening them and then fixed them up like five minutes after they left... Schiff gave me a piece of chalk for "when I felt better"... So there you are..." He looked down as soon as he finished talking.

Roy felt terrible that Ed had felt like keeping Roy's pocket watch under his pillow like that. The way he had tried to draw comfort from it and the picture.

Roy just grabbed the watch and opened it and a folded up piece of paper fell to the floor. He crouched down and placed the watch on the floor so as to have his hand free to unfold it. It had been folded twice, and Roy was feeling a bit of dread at just what it might be as he realised that this was a photograph.

He unfolded it, feeling sharp bursts of pain from his mutilated palm.

And then he froze.

It was a picture of a young, blonde boy with golden eyes. One that Roy had actually never seen before, but that could only be a young Alphonse Elric. And he was sitting on the grass with his legs crossed, grinning up at the robin that had decided to land on top of his head. "Ed? What's this?"

"These bastards are everywhere, Roy... At some point during the last two years, one of Granny's patients in Resembool had taken a picture of one of the ones hanging on the wall in their house..." Then he looked back at Roy with tears in his eyes. "Please don't get me wrong... I just wanted you to have it 'cos you didn't know what Al looked like and I thought you should know because you'd be the one looking after him... I grew up with him, so I know and I remember, but you didn't..." He bit his lip and began limping towards Roy. "But if I'm gonna be living with you, then I can take it back... I don't want it to be some cruel reminder, I mean, it's bad enough as it is..." he said, reaching out to take it from him. "...I just didn't want these bastards to keep it..."

Roy, however, folded it back to the way it was and placed it back inside his watch and closed it. "No, I'm keeping this," he said, knowing that he was pale as he stared at the watch in his hand. He was horrified and in many ways sickened by himself.

...He had adopted a boy that he had known for three years. And yet he had never known what he looked like when he wasn't just a soul bound to a suit of armour. He felt a sudden, overwhelming urge to know exactly what it felt like to hug Al in his real body. To feel the warmth of human flesh.

To know what his boy actually smelt like.

"No, Ed. I'd like to keep this... Thank you," Roy said, hearing that his voice was just a bit shaky.

He suddenly felt a tear building in the corner of his eye, and wiped it away with the back of his hand.

He was a **father**. He had adopted a couple of boys. The Elrics were his **sons**. "Like you said, I should know what he looks like... You're completely right," Roy said quietly, feeling an unexplainable numbness. He was still shaken by the look in Al's eyes. The bright, kind glow.

...But there was fire in those eyes too. A less fierce one than that of his brother. A playful and gentle one. But there was a fire that Roy somehow hadn't expected to exist.

He felt sickened by himself that he had actually found himself surprised that Al's eyes were golden compared to the strange glow coming from the eyes in his helmet. "How old was he when it was taken, Ed?" he asked quietly.

"Eight. It was on his birthday, actually. He kept calling it his party hat and named it Sam because he didn't know its gender and didn't want to be rude." Ed's voice was shaky and yet there was both fondness and sadness at the same time as he said it. And fear.

"Thank you, Ed," Roy whispered, clutching the pocket watch to his chest for a second, before he placed it inside his free pocket. "We should get your things and then we're going back to the hospital." He looked back up at Ed.

"Just leave them. My real stuff got destroyed in the explosion... All that shit is just stuff that Schiff bought me," the boy said, nodding towards a suitcase under the bed.

"Ed, we're definitely bringing it. We'll stop at an abandoned parking lot, and then I'm going to reduce it to ashes."

Ed looked at Roy for a second, taking in the information.

Then he smiled and nodded. "That's one hell of a plan."

Roy suddenly had an idea strike him. "Ed, I'm not having you leave in that nightshirt because that one sure as hell doesn't belong to you..."

Ed's eyebrows shot up. "Then what do you think I should wear?"

Roy immediately fished out a piece of chalk from his pocket and drew up a quick transmutation circle, before pulling off the shirt covering his shoulders and placing it in the middle of it.

A few seconds later, he was looking at a pyjama-like creation. There were a pair of knee-length shorts and a pyjama shirt with one sleeve that went loosely down to the elbow. The buttons were lying unused because both of them didn't exactly have hands to close them with. He was glad that the shirt had been one of his light blue ones, because it made it a lot less see-through. And so he looked over at Ed. "What do you say to wearing these instead?" he asked gently.

Ed looked at them, then gave a weak smile and a nod. "Yeah, that's a lot better... Thanks, Roy... But could you help me change in the bathroom where there aren't any cameras?" he asked quietly. Then he looked down, speaking in a barely audible whisper. "I don't... I don't want them to have my privates on film..."

Roy paused, horror striking him. "You're not... They didn't let you wear...?" he asked, feeling his anger bursting through his entire being.

"Apparently it was very painful for me to have something pressing against my wounds like that, so they gave me a nice, long nightshirt as an alternative..." Ed whispered, still looking down.

Roy was going to burn out their tongues for saying and doing something like this to Ed. Then he'd turn their hands to ashes so that they wouldn't ever be able to lay a hand on Ed ever again. Then he'd damn well melt their eyeballs. Roy wasn't one for prolonged torture, but he was going to enjoy it the day he could do it to the Schiffs and take as much time as possible with it.

He quickly put his chalk back in his pocket and picked up the newly transmuted clothes. "Show me to the bathroom. We're leaving these bastards. We're leaving this hellhole and you won't ever have to come back."

Ed nodded, his lips trembling again. "They didn't do anything... you know... _suggestive_... It's too easy for it to turn into abuse after all... It was kinda like with a doctor, I guess. Completely detached and it was just changing my clothes and two trips to the toilet..." His voice was barely audible, but his words brought just a bit of relief through Roy's anger because he could tell that Ed wasn't lying.

And yet Roy saw to his horror that Ed was looking guilty about it.

No, they would definitely need to talk about this in private where these bastards couldn't hear it.

And so Ed led the way to the bathroom as he slowly limped through this disgusting building. Roy helped him as best he could to get him changed into his new clothes as quickly as possible. He stood behind him so as to make sure not to peek at something that Ed definitely didn't want him to see other than what he already had done. Thankfully the nightshirt was of the kind that didn't have any buttons, but had a partially open chest that was tied shut with a string criss-crossing between the two sides of the shirt.

His insides were twisting painfully as he saw the now much more prominent bruises surrounding the bandages covering Ed's rear. His entire upper body was wrapped in bandages from his hips and up to his shoulders because of the damages to his back.

Basically, his boy looked like someone had lost their heart midway through making him a mummy costume.

Roy helped him into the shirt next, sighing with unuttered apologies as Ed hissed with pain. And for how he had done something as cruel as to adopt them for the reasons he had.

They didn't talk for the rest of the time spent inside that wretched house. Henrietta waved at them with a smile as they left and Ed kindly gave her the finger, to which she just laughed and called him charming.

Hawkeye saluted them as they reached the car and opened the doors to the backseat before taking the suitcase up front per Roy's instructions. Ed was obviously in a lot of pain, but thankfully he still had his hospital slippers from before so that he didn't have to walk barefoot. Roy sat down on the right side of the backseat, before Ed limped over to the left side and Roy helped him gingerly lie down on his right side with his shoulder port pressed to the seat. He was resting his head in Roy's lap with his knees bent to fit as Hawkeye closed the doors for them, but didn't get in herself.

"Why's she not getting inside the car?" Ed asked in confusion, looking up at Roy by tilting his head back slightly.

"Because I need to talk to you alone, and we know for certain that the car isn't being bugged," Roy told him with a heavy sigh, instinctively wanting to stroke his hair, but stopping himself.

Because they had done this to Ed's hair. They had taken Ed's hair and made it into the physical embodiment of Roy's continued failure to care for and protect his boys.

The Hero of Ishbal, the Flame Alchemist, one of the most feared and powerful State Alchemists in Amestris was incapable of protecting his fourteen-year-old boy from being branded like this.

Ed might not have noticed it because he was too busy giving Henrietta the finger, but Roy had seen the Lieutenant's horrified anger as she saw Ed's new haircut.

Ed was suffering for something that he actually had nothing to do with. Both Elrics were.

"Oh," Ed said quietly, deflating slightly as he looked away from Roy. "Listen, I don't blame you, Roy... This wasn't your fault and I... I'm sorry about this. I don't wanna make you feel bad by my hair being like this. And I'm sorry about how the others are gonna react and I'll talk to them so that they know that this was all because these people are sick bastards..."

"Ed, you know that that isn't the main issue here..." Roy said carefully. He didn't know what to say, really. He didn't know where to start.

"You've adopted us against your will," Ed said quietly with a hurt and miserable sigh. "I'm sorry that you had to do that... I-it's my fault... It's all because of what I said in the hospital yesterday when I told you to be my dad instead of my superior and now I've managed to force you into adopting us 'cos you're feeling guilty about this..."

Roy froze. **That** was what Ed was thinking?

"Ed, this has nothing to do with guilt. I chose to do this about thirty seconds before Schiff took you away from me."

"You adopted us when you didn't want to, Roy... And it was because you felt like you had to save me from Schiff's clutches... It... It's not right that you should have to do that..." Ed said shakily, and Roy suddenly saw tears building in Ed's currently visible eye.

"Ed, please... The circumstances are fucked up for sure, but let me tell you something very important about this..." Roy began, adding a few seconds of silence to show the seriousness of the statement he was about to say. "...I could have asked for permanent guardianship and have had it granted, I don't doubt it. But I asked to adopt you because I chose to say that I want you as my sons. Had it only been something I didn't want, then I would have been your guardian right now. It's like I told Pinako: I regret the circumstances for how it happened, but not the adoption itself. There won't come a day where I find myself regretting adopting you... I would even go as far as to say that this is the one thing that I'm actually happy that happened as a result of this whole damned business."

Ed turned his head back again to face him, tears in his eyes. "S-so you're actually... You're keeping us even if this was all because of some grand scheme to get you to adopt us?... The entire point of this is to make Al and me into instruments of psychological torture... They've been manipulating you into all of this... You didn't want to be our dad just two weeks ago and now you've gone and adopted us because some bastard criminal organisation planned it! You had to adopt us because you had to save me and it isn't right! It's sick and you know it so how the hell can you say that you don't regret it?!"

Then he broke down into emotionally exhausted sobs.

Roy placed his hand on his cheek, leaning down to kiss his forehead, before talking gently into his hair. "Because I love you, kiddo... You and Al are now my sons and I don't regret that fact... I just hope you can forgive me for doing it without you even knowing it... I just wanted you back, Ed... I just wanted to hug you and keep you close and have you in my house because you and Al are my kids and not having both of you with me is far worse than adopting you... And just know that you don't have to feel forced into being my son. If you want to take things slow, then that's what we'll do."

Ed looked up at him in tearful frustration and despair.

Then...

"DAMMIT, ROY! DAMMIT, DAMMIT, DAMMIT!" he shouted in between his sobs. "I JUST WANNA BE SAFE AND DRINK COCOA AND DON'T BE CAUGHT UP IN THIS SHIT SO THAT I CAN ENJOY THIS FOR REAL INSTEAD OF WALKING AROUND AND CONSTANTLY HURT YOU! I JUST WANT A DAMN HUG!"

Roy froze.

Then he bent down further and cradled Ed's sobbing form in his arm to the best of his ability, feeling his guts twist as he pressed his lips to his forehead again, once again feeling that wave of self-loathing as his lips came into contact with his now so different fringe. "I'm sorry, Kiddo."

Ed kept sobbing, apparently not even knowing what to say anymore.

And Roy couldn't help the all-consuming guilt that was making his chest hurt. Because Edward Elric, the Fullmetal Alchemist, his stubborn subordinate, had been reduced to this in less than two weeks.

* * *

Ed was miserable. None of this felt real and he was honestly afraid that this was all just some vivid hallucination. Or a dream that would soon turn into a nightmare.

He just couldn't stop the tears. Everything was a mess and he had spent the past twelve hours believing that he would spend the next four years barely getting to be with his brother. He had spent so many hours now apologising silently to Al for letting him down while imagining all the things that could happen. He had been imagining what spending the next few years in that damned house would do to him.

...And fearing just how much he would lose of himself in the process. To finally be free to leave and come back to his family and friends as nothing more than a hollow shell of his former self.

And now everything was wrong and Roy had been forced to adopt them when he hadn't wanted to.

They finally had a parent again, and it was all just because some manipulative bastards had planned it. This hadn't been meant to happen. This would never have happened if it hadn't been for these Shadow jerks. Because Roy would still have been nothing more than "the Colonel" while Ed would still just be "Fullmetal".

And it hurt. It hurt to know that hadn't Roy been assigned to this case, then they wouldn't have him.

Their now adoptive father was in many ways just a criminal act.

...And Roy had hesitated to reach out because of Ed's hair.

Ed had been so relieved and happy to be saved from being in that bastard's "care", but now that it was all sinking in, he was beginning to feel the doubt and the fear. And the hurt at the way that Roy wouldn't have adopted them now if he had the choice. Maybe he never would have. Had they just been in his care, then Roy would have had no reason to adopt them.

He felt his sobs die down, still finding comfort in Roy's awkward embrace. In the way that Roy was still pressing his lips to his forehead, even if his new fringe didn't leave the gap for Ed to actually feel his lips.

But his tears still kept streaming down his cheeks, his chest and stomach and every single part of him hurting both emotionally and physically.

He was just so damned exhausted... He had spent every single moment awake in some degree of pain ever since Schiff used the cane on his palm.

And yet Roy had just told him that he had chosen adoption over permanent guardianship. That he wasn't regretting the adoption. That this was the one good thing that had come out of this.

"Ed... I hope you can forgive me for what I did," Roy suddenly whispered heavily, yet softly, still with his face resting on top of Ed's forehead.

Ed paused. "What? What do you mean?" He didn't fail to notice how croaky and weak his voice now was after crying like that.

Roy pulled away from the hug so that he could look Ed straight in the eyes as he gently cupped Ed's cheek. Ed couldn't help but feel that it wasn't right because the hand on his cheek was now covered in bandages. It reminded him about how wrong them being here was.

And there was so much pain and guilt in Roy's eyes. "Ed... I'm sorry that I adopted you in this way so that something that should be happy and good has been twisted by the circumstances around it... I'm sorry that by adopting you and Al, I have in many ways created emotional scars that can't ever be erased... I've hurt you by doing what I did and I didn't even ask you first... Basically, Ed, I've done something horrible to you because I broke your trust."

Ed just stared at him. "What do you mean by that? How... How did you break my trust?"

Roy looked completely tormented by what he was about to say. "Because you told me to choose between you and Al or the Black Shadows... It was just over two hours later that I let them manipulate me into adopting you..." he looked at Ed's hair, pain in his eyes, still not touching it with his hand.

Ed felt his lips tremble. Roy was afraid to touch his hair, there was no denying it. He was looking like it was going to burn him if he did. His stomach clenched even further. He couldn't exactly tell him to touch it when Roy didn't want to.

They had branded Ed. And they had made it clear that Ed wasn't allowed to change it by Henrietta saying that "every time you want to fix it up because it's getting too long, you just come see me, Edward, and then you can get it for free."

Then a bit of realisation struck him and he suddenly realised that if they could twist the adoption into this, then Ed would damn well twist what they did to his hair. "Roy... I just realised something... By you adopting me... That makes you my... my Dad... So it kind of fits that my hair's this way now... 'Cos Hohenheim's was long and... And I'd rather look like you, then... Not that I ever wore my hair like I did to look like him... The plait was kind of a protest to his ponytail... But this... This makes it really clear that I don't think of him as my father at all... That isn't too bad, is it?" Ed told him quietly.

Roy just looked down at him with a kind of horrified fondness. "Ed... You... How can you just say that? ... You shouldn't try to make things easier for me if you don't feel like that... Because it doesn't change the fact that they did it against your will and that you didn't want it. You're not obliged to think of it as anything else than what it is just to make me feel better about it."

Ed took a deep breath to try to stop himself from breaking down into tears again. "That's not it, Roy... It's equivalent exchange... They took something important and twisted it... So why can't we twist their way of branding me as theirs into something good instead? ...If they're gonna take it away from me, then at least I want to make it into a symbol of giving Hohenheim the finger," he said quietly and shakily and gave him a weak smile. "...So can't you instead help me with doing that? ...Because if you won't touch me because of something they did, then that is much more a sign of choosing them over Al and me..."

Roy just looked down at him.

Then a tear ran down his right cheek as he gently tousled Ed's fringe. "...I'm sorry, Ed... Of course I'll help you do that."

Ed felt his lips trembling even more, and he just nodded once in confirmation.

He didn't really know how he felt about the adoption. He didn't know what to say or do or anything.

It was just pain and exhaustion and fear.

And like being in a cage with the illusion of freedom.

* * *

Wrath was met by Lust as soon as he came into the room. She was sitting on Gluttony's right shoulder, taking him in with a bored expression. "You know, Wrath, when you call us to a meeting, it's bad manners to be the last one to arrive..."

Wrath was unfazed as he spoke to her, even if a little irked by her snide comment. "Well, being the country's leader sometimes makes it a bit hard to go deep underground in Central while also avoiding my bodyguards and wife growing worried. Especially as it's half past eight in the morning."

Gluttony looked up at him with a bit of hopeful curiosity, and Wrath knew what was coming. "Can I eat the bodyguards?"

"No, Gluttony, you can't," Lust said, obviously barely resisting the urge to roll her eyes. "We've discussed this before."

Gluttony pouted.

"Well, _Your Excellency_, are you going to explain what's up here, or are you already going senile?" came Envy's impatient voice from where he was standing to Wrath's left, his right hand on his hip.

"Settle down, my children, I do not like such petty squabbling," came Father's voice from where he was sitting in the middle of the room. "Now tell us what was so important, Wrath."

"It has been brought to my attention that there is a criminal organisation targeting Edward Elric in East City. I received a phone call just under two hours ago that the boy has been reassigned and is now working under a man by the name of Major General Schiff."

"You called all of us here because someone else is in charge of the Fullmetal pipsqueak and he's once again a target for another group of bad guys?" Envy asked impatiently. "That's hardly news."

Wrath kept himself calm and collected, even if he sent Envy a cold glare. "I do not know the full scope of the situation, but apparently it is dire enough for Colonel Mustang to feel the need to go as far as adopting the Elrics to get Fullmetal out of General Schiff's care."

Envy's jaw dropped. "The Flame Colonel has adopted them? Were you the one to approve it?"

"Yes, I was. I was informed that the older Elric was very likely to resign if kept in the house of his new commanding officer. Otherwise, he would have had to live with him until he comes of age."

"Which would be very bad for business... After all, he's our only confirmed human sacrifice that we are in control of at the moment," Lust said. "As a civilian he will be much harder to order around..."

"Exactly," Wrath told her. "And by approving the adoption, we are also able to keep Fullmetal and two of our strongest candidates for human sacrifices in one place. That makes it a lot less suspicious when I'll be transferring Fullmetal and Colonel Mustang to Central in time for the Promised Day."

"...So things are working in our favour, then. But that still doesn't explain why you called us here instead of just telling Father alone."

"Because the criminal organisation in question has already been causing quite a lot of trouble here in Central and they are now branching out in East City. As Colonel Mustang is in charge of the case and Edward Elric is being targeted, there is a very real danger of the boy being tortured and killed by this organisation. I think it would be a significant chance that Colonel Mustang might feel the need to resign should that happen, so as to protect his remaining son. Edward Elric is currently heavily injured after being flogged little over a week ago and his automail arm was destroyed in the explosion, meaning that his ability to defend himself has been severely reduced as his nose is also broken and his remaining wrist is sprained. Colonel Mustang has also broken his right collarbone after his shoulder was impaled, meaning that his right arm is mostly out of commission. That makes both of them easy targets and I think that offering them some assistance would be the best move at the present time. The criminal organisation, otherwise known as the Black Shadows, specialises in assassinations and kidnappings and are most likely using hostages to slow the investigation down. With how soft-hearted Colonel Mustang is, that could become quite problematic."

"I see," Father said. "So what do you suggest we do, Wrath?"

"I'll be taking a trip to East City to get the scope of the severity of the situation. If it becomes necessary, I could place those involved in protective custody and assign the case to someone else. It won't cause too much suspicion that I do it, not when it involves the safety of two of our most prominent State Alchemists. I am already sending Lieutenant Colonel Maes Hughes from Investigations. He is a close friend of Colonel Mustang's, and so I have already arranged for his wife and daughter to be placed in protective custody. I am also sending Major Armstrong as his alchemy can prove to be highly useful for protection and his family is not the type that can easily be taken hostage even if his heart is even softer than Mustang's," Wrath explained calmly. "I would also like to suggest that Pride take care of reducing the Black Shadows' operation here in Central while gathering more information on the situation and the size of their organisation."

"Take Envy with you to East City as one of your escorts."

"So I'm going to be doing a bit of infiltration work while Wrath is babysitting our human sacrifices?" Envy asked. "Sure... Can I stab the top guy when I find him so that we can get back here sooner?"

"Ooh, can I eat him?!" Gluttony said excitedly. "Can I, Father, can I?"

Envy rolled his eyes. "We're not dragging a body with us on a train for three days, you fat idiot."

Gluttony pouted in disappointment. Lust just patted his head twice. "You can eat one of the ones here in Central, we'll need to take some of them captive to get some information out of them."

Gluttony lit up in excitement.

"Wrath, I'll leave it to you to handle the situation in East City," Father said. "You'll be following his orders, Envy."

Wrath nodded at him. "Yes, Father."

* * *

**And thank you all so much for the reviews last chapter! :D**

**It was highly inspiring for this new one, so please keep them coming.**

**But no flames ;)**


	22. Chapter 22

**Okay, I would just like to make it clear that the new nickname wasn't intentional when I invented the Black Shadows... I just had an epiphany as I wrote the previous chapter.**

**And, good news! This is a happy chapter, although it starts off with a bit of abandonment issues. **

**Basically: Ed gets a bit back to his old self because he loves his fizzy drink and gets a well-timed epiphany.**

**Enjoy!**

**(And please leave reviews, but no flames)**

* * *

**Chapter twenty-two**

Ed limped his way inside the hospital, noticing the looks he was getting. The way people's attention was immediately drawn to his new haircut as it was compared to Roy's. That, and the way his new clothes did nothing to hide his missing arm and automail leg. Hawkeye was walking behind them, being Roy's bodyguard as always.

"You didn't have to be re-admitted to the hospital through the reception, Ed. I've already informed them, so all we have to do is tell the nurses in charge of our room that you're back," Roy told him gently.

Ed was nervous about this. Roy had explained to him that Al and Granny and Winry were already there as well as the entire team. That was awkward enough, but Roy also hadn't been able to explain to anyone other than Hawkeye that Schiff was in league with the Black Shadows because it would put them in significant danger. Roy had made sure that everything that they had discussed had been after they had vacated the hospital room so that they could once again be bugged. It was all to prove that they weren't doing anything to plan against the Shadow jerks. Roy had been phoning Granny while Hawkeye had been calling General Grumman who was actually her grandfather. Then she had stayed by Roy's side to provide him with protection while he was making arrangements for the Rockbells to be picked up and driven to East City. Havoc, in the meantime, had been tasked with picking up Alphonse and the rest of the team. And so the room had been vacated for about half an hour.

Meaning that Ed would have to tell them what the Schiffs had decided on.

...Which again meant that they were going to be horrified and angry with Roy about how Ed's hair now looked. But Ed was going to add that something else that would make it just a bit better because of that whole "definitely not Hohenheim's anymore" thing.

He suddenly froze with joyful realisation. "Roy... You know acronyms?"

Roy looked at him in concern as he stopped walking. "Yes, what are you thinking about?"

"The Black Shadows... The BS... And you know what BS stands for?"

Roy's face suddenly filled with malicious glee. "We're definitely calling them Bullshit from now on."

"...But it's not just Bullshit... Because it's **the** Black Shadows... Meaning that it's **the **Bullshit... So basically, the enemy's **the definition **of Bullshit... That helps, doesn't it?" Ed asked quietly, giving Roy a weak smile. He had a hard time looking at the older alchemist. Because there was still a lot of enraged guilt and pain in Roy's eyes whenever he looked at him.

And Ed was getting a weird kind of jumpiness and lack of confidence from the lack of hair. It was like he had lost his helmet. The pressure was just wrong. There wasn't the odd comfort of the soft hair hanging down his back. His new fringe was making him uncomfortable because he was still getting used to the very weird way that it was getting in his line of vision. When he was used to his long, thick hair and its way of giving his line of vision a sort of curtain at each side, not having it now made it unnerving to have the parts that were blocked before open. And he was beginning to realise that his old style had given him confidence.

Now it felt too light as if someone had stolen a beloved dog and swapped it for a goldfish.

It didn't mean that he had anything against Roy's haircut in itself. He wasn't angry with Roy about it and he didn't blame him for a couple of bastards doing something that was meant as yet another tool of psychological torture.

No, the problem here was that Roy had adopted them because Schiff had **planned** it. And no matter what Roy said about how he wasn't regretting doing it, but only the circumstances around it, it still hurt. It still hurt that even if he didn't mind it too much that Roy had adopted them in itself, then the fact still remained that Roy hadn't planned it. He hadn't planned to adopt them. He had just acted on a few instincts without planning ahead.

And that scared Ed. It scared him that once they had fixed this situation, then Roy wouldn't need to be their adoptive father. Because Ed and Al would go off searching for the Stone. It scared Ed that the man who was now legally their father might only be it on paper and little else.

And that reminded Ed too much of Hohenheim. Because Mom had told them how he had loved them and still did. But he still left. Hohenheim had got tired of them.

And what if that happened with Roy? Because Ed and Al had been lucky that Hohenheim left as early as he did, because it made the heartbreak easier to bear. Hohenheim had left them before they could actually become anything other than toddlers. Before their personalities were evolved. It was easier to bear because the bastard had left them before he could reject them as something other than a pair of nondescript children. And he had obviously been the one that there had been something seriously wrong with when he could reject someone as perfect as Mom.

But if Roy left them? When he knew them as distinct people with their own personalities?

It would hurt so much more because he'd be rejecting them because they weren't good enough. Because he didn't care enough to want them.

And there was a lot of uncertainty about it all now. Because Roy had only begun being their father five days ago.

_He doesn't know us well enough to know if he'll love us when this is all over._

But in a way it helped that Roy had apologised that he had done this. He had apologised for bringing this uncertainty into their relationship. That suggested that he cared enough to at least be scared about what this would do to them.

But Ed's hair made him afraid that Roy would be too burdened by it all to actually be able to follow through. That it would become too much of an obstacle when it became optional.

And Ed wanted to both cling to him and distance himself from him because he wanted to beg him not to leave them while also push him away so that it would hurt less if he did.

Logically, Ed knew that things wouldn't be as bad, leaving him much leas nervous once he wasn't so sleep-deprived and in a constant state of physical pain. He had been spending his time in the darkness of the night in complete misery and fear and guilt. And he hadn't actually had a good night's sleep since he was reassigned. He didn't sleep well on his stomach. And he'd been having nightmares several times a night since the flogging. After all, dreaming that the pain was caused by the black hands from the Portal reaching out and digging clawed fingers into his back while Al was being ripped away from him wasn't fun. And they had also inspired nightmares about that thing that was supposed to be Mom attacking him with claws to punish him for what he did to her.

He was exhausted. He was just so damned exhausted and that was without the psychological torture provided by Schiff and the rest of his Bullshit gang.

Ed looked down. "Roy? I want to sleep... I just really need to sleep... Just something that'll knock me out so that I can actually not be in pain that'll reduce the quality of resting... Otherwise it's gonna make Winry cry because she can tell how it is... That's the problem with them making automail for a living. They know the look of someone who is exhausted by pain and what it does to their mental state..." Ed mumbled. Then he realised just how much guilt that Roy must be feeling at that comment. But he couldn't just keep it to himself anymore because that would only serve to hurt all of them even further later on. If Ed couldn't even trust him with letting him know about something as important as this, then he'd be hurting him infinitely more once Granny told him. "Sorry, I don't blame you... I just... I could really use some sleep 'cos I hardly got any tonight and once I did, I kept waking up a lot for about a minute... I just want some deep sleep or I'm not gonna be anything other than useless..."

"Why do you think I've been pulling rank so that you'll be staying here for a week? You don't even need to say it, Ed," Roy told him softly, gently placing his hand on Ed's shoulder. "We'll just talk with the others for a bit and then we're both going to sleep for a while under the watchful eyes of Lieutenant Hawkeye and Alphonse Elric. She's going to get some sleep herself in about three hours because Havoc will be taking over for her."

Ed looked up at him in confusion. "A whole week?"

"Yes, Edward," came a voice from behind him and it was much closer than he had expected. He whipped around just as Hawkeye came walking over with a surprising object, holding it out for Roy to hold. It was a large plastic cup of that orange fizzy drink that Ed loved. "I went over to the kiosk for a minute. I thought you might like one." She was smiling and Ed was getting that "I know what you need two minutes before you do" vibe from her.

And he had to admit that his favourite sugary drink sounded perfect after the night he had had. It was probably going to make him feel a bit better when facing the others, even. "Thanks, Hawkeye," he told her, giving her a weak smile that was given a soft look and a small nod as she stepped back and stood back about five metres, back into bodyguard-mode.

"Back to the matter at hand," Roy began, a small smile on his face as he watched Ed beginning to sip the miracle beverage through his straw as he held it out for him. "Yes, a week. And that's nonnegotiable. The risk of infection is very high for you and this is actually a building that is equipped to prevent that because these people can treat our wounds with the best possible equipment. And Pinako and Winry are already working in your automail and are going to have it ready for you in two days, so you'll be able to be assistance-free when you need to use the toilet from the point when you get it reattached."

Ed suddenly had a very disturbing realisation hit him. "Oh... So how long do you...?" Ed asked awkwardly, releasing the straw with a faint "pop".

"Well, while the bandages are covering my hand it's not an option, and when they're off, then I can't exactly expose the wounds to such... areas at risk of infection..." Roy told him with an unusually stony face, obviously using it as a way to hide his embarrassment. "Once that time comes..." Then he sighed. "...Hawkeye."

Ed's eyebrows shot up, glad that he wasn't drinking or he'd be sending his beloved fizzy drink in all directions. "You can't be serious? Isn't that like breaking a shitload of rules for military conduct? Like not using your subordinates for such and such and...?" he asked, beginning to wonder if Roy was dangerously close to abusing his most trusted subordinate.

"Edward, home nurses are out of the question because of security reasons. There's no way that the BS won't find a way to use that for surveillance and when we can't know who is who, I'd rather not have someone living in my house and scrubbing and cleaning my nether regions, while they are quite possibly being paid to poison you at some point. That means people that I trust and that means my team. And there is no doubt in my mind that Lieutenant Hawkeye is the one that will make it the least awkward as she will stay both professional and do a good job that will not be compromised by any awkwardness."

Ed looked up at him sceptically. "You're still having a female subordinate touch parts that can make things very awkward in the office later. She may be the one who knows you best out of your teammates, but she's only been your assistant for less than four years. You haven't really known her for long enough to not have this being taken the wrong way..." Ed whispered up at him. He didn't want to risk having Roy lose someone as important as that. Because Roy needed Hawkeye and he was a womaniser asking for her to clean his privates on a daily basis for days as well as helping him use the toilet for that same duration of time. And the worst part was that she was probably loyal enough to say yes without pausing to think much about it. Because she knew Roy and not just as the Colonel. But that would also mean that abusing that fact would be despicable.

He didn't expect Roy to lean down and whisper into his ear. "Edward, she may have only been my assistant for less than four years, but I've known her for over a decade. Her father was the one who taught me alchemy. We've known each other since we were teenagers," he explained softly. "I'm not abusing my subordinate because she's the one who cornered me. She told me that she would help so that I would not need assistance from someone whose help would strain the situation in the office at a later point in time. She's professional as hell and that is all there is to it." The he leaned back and looked at Ed with an encouraging smile. "It might be hard to understand, Ed, but this is actually a sign of mutual trust and respect between her and me."

Ed just stared at him, not really knowing what to think about it all. And he was beginning to feel like a kid for it. Yet there was no condescension about Roy's statement. "...Are you gonna tell me more about yourself when this is all over?" was all that he could think of saying. Because he was beginning to realise that he knew very little about Roy Mustang. Plus, Roy had pushed the straw back into Ed's mouth, further distracting him from making intelligible and well thought through statements.

Roy nodded, suddenly looking like he found something a bit funny, and so he leaned forwards again and whispered into his ear once more. "I was raised in a hostess bar. I should probably tell my aunt about you two. She's also my foster mother." Then he pulled back slightly to look at Ed's reaction.

Ed couldn't help but sigh slightly around the straw. "You know, that explains a lot," he said in a slightly mumbled fashion because the stuff in his cup was awesome and he didn't really want to stop drinking. No wonder where he learnt all his womanising skills from.

"Which is why having someone who has seen me both before and after Ishbal is an invaluable thing. That is also why Hughes and me are very good friends even if we're very different at first sight," he whispered once more, and Ed was realising that this was Roy sharing his life experiences in a fatherly way. Or at least one close to it.

Ed nodded, releasing the straw again. The cup was half-full at this point. "I see... I guess we should go see the others... Al must be really worried... The Rockbells too... And the rest of the team," he told him quietly, turning away and hoping that Roy would bring the rest of his drink as he began limping forwards because he was getting that fear and uncertainty again.

Then he felt a wave of numbness overtaking him at the thought. Everything was changing and he didn't know what to do about Roy. Because Roy had made him realise that he really wanted a parent again after all. But in a strange way, it also made it feel like he was losing a piece of himself by letting Roy be that. Because he had in many ways needed to become his little brother's replacement parent, and by giving Roy that role it meant that Ed wasn't going to be the same big brother that he had used to be. And so Ed kept limping forwards, his mind lost in thought and uncertainty. The promise of painless sleep for a few hours was giving him a large sense of relief. But it also made him feel weak. It felt like he was giving in to those BS bastards.

...But letting them mess with his psyche by stealing so much of his sleep and physical wellbeing would basically be letting them crush him through his sense of pride. And he couldn't let his pride get in the way of taking care of himself.

Otherwise, he would just be failing those around him by letting those bastards break him.

He was beginning to realise just how oppressive that damned brick building had been. How much the Schiffs had been pushing each of his buttons by using everything they had learned about him from their constant surveillance. Psychological torture, physical torture and sleep-deprivation while ripping away everything and everyone that kept him going and that brought him joy was really pushing him towards his breaking point.

And if he could just get some rest...

...Then maybe he'd be less scared.

He suddenly had a mental picture flashing in his mind as he walked. One of a blonde ponytail and a back turned towards him as the man left without a word. That was the last memory he had of Hohenheim. The man that he could never remember actually giving him a hug but only receiving it when Ed initialised it.

Roy had been **_giving_** him an awful lot of hugs lately. And those were real. Hohenheim's had always been uncertain because Ed had been the one giving them. He had never been able to tell if Hohenheim had even liked them, wanted them.

There was no uncertainty about Roy's. They were like Mom's.

..._And I'm the one who is contemplating to turn them down_.

And Ed was walking in front of Roy. Ed was now the blonde-haired man whose back was turned.

Roy was the one who had chosen to give them something so much more than what was only necessary. Roy was the one who promised to stay. The one who swore never to give up on them.

Because Roy wasn't Hohenheim.

...He was Mom.

And Ed was not the three-year-old boy looking at the turned back. Al was.

Roy was the one who was offering him everything without demanding anything in return in the same way that Mom did.

And once the thought struck him, he couldn't help the disgust rising within his chest that when choosing to be scared, he'd be doing the same as Hohenheim did. He couldn't be so cowardly about something that was good. He couldn't choose to be like Hohenheim and not Mom.

Roy was giving him something invaluable, and Ed was just walking away.

There was no equivalent exchange. He was defying the basic rules of alchemy.

And so he turned around and back to Roy, limping forwards, seeing that worried look on his face.

And then Ed hugged him. It hurt and it was awkward because of their various injuries. But Ed felt like he was choosing this and he was choosing to look forwards to when he could hug him without pain. Without fear.

Because it was all equivalent exchange and Roy was an alchemist too and he knew the meaning of that. He too believed in that concept.

So how could Ed even be contemplating to let the Bullshit gang take away from him his beliefs? How could he let Al suffer once more? How could he let Roy down and leave him? And it was only fair that Ed gave him hugs. That he gave him trust and love back. Because Ed wasn't the only one who was scared and in pain. And Roy was the one giving him the hugs when he was too.

And Ed realised just how much it was hurting Roy that Ed was having a hard time looking at him. Because Roy wasn't the one who was looking away.

It was Ed.

And Ed knew that this was different. He knew that he wasn't leaving Roy just like that bastard had done. He knew that he was just scared and insecure and was reluctant to risk being left behind again.

But the mental picture of **_that man_** turning his back on them still made his stomach clench and it still made his mind race with metaphors. And symbolically, it was just too similar. And he never wanted to be remotely similar to that bastard. Which meant that Ed was choosing to turn back around and hug the ones that cared about him. He was choosing to hang his coat back up on the peg and kick off his shoes. He was choosing to come home and trust his family.

He was choosing to love them back.

And if the world truly was based on equivalent exchange, then something good should come in exchange for something bad. He had paid the price tonight to get something good in return, and that was being adopted by Roy.

He felt his adoptive father placing the top of his hand on the ear that was facing outwards as Ed had to turn his head because of his nose. And so Roy was hugging him back in the way that caused them the least amount of pain while still holding Ed's fizzy drink for him.

"Roy?" Ed asked quietly.

"Yes, Ed?" His voice revealed a hint of fear.

"You know how you said that this was the one good thing that we gained from this whole mess?"

"Yes. And I still believe that."

"Well, we're alchemists. And so we both know full well that humankind cannot gain anything without giving something in return. And we know that what we gain has the equivalent value to what we pay."

"Yes, Ed. That's the law of equivalent exchange."

"Have you thought about that in that case, the more shit that the BS gang puts us through, the more we gain? Because in that case, the only good thing we've gained is this. Which means that it can't be bad because the worse everything else gets, the better this becomes. So we can't call ourselves alchemists if we reject such a basic principle. So if we nurture and put all our efforts into the good that we gain, the we'll be repaid by it becoming stronger than those degenerate bastards. If we let it all bring us down and break our spirits, then all we gain is despair because we don't try to fight it. We cannot gain anything without pain, but if you endure that pain, you'll find that the prize is invaluable." Ed felt his heart swell as he began to gradually regain his sense of self through the thing that he was best at. Once his mind began thinking like the alchemist that he was, then he could be Fullmetal again. He was back in his right element. And it made things so much clearer. And it felt good. Because Ed was safe here. He might logically speaking be in a damned unsafe situation as he was being controlled by some unstable bastards who could choose at any time to chop off one of his limbs if it suited their plans.

But he was still safe in this odd embrace. Because he knew now that Roy wasn't going to be a second Hohenheim.

"So what you're saying is that if we keep going, then we'll eventually be repaid in full? But the prize is lessened by the less effort we make... I see where you're going, Ed..." Roy said thoughtfully.

"And if the transmutation is sloppy, then all you get is a rebound, and that is what these bastards want, and we've already figured out that they're bullshit, haven't we? So that's a pretty useless thing to transmute..."

"The prodigy speaks again, then... But, yes, I'm in on being alchemists with you."

Ed braced himself, taking a deep breath. "Which means that you're trusting me and that is something that I want to repay you for. Because that is something I like to transmute. So I'm trusting you to stay, and so I'm staying too because that is what I want..." he began, before taking that final step into rejecting Hohenheim completely and be free from that bastard's grasp. Because he already had enough bastards controlling his life as it was. "...And you chose to adopt us instead of just becoming our guardian. So now I'm adopting you in return."

The older alchemist froze. "Ed, you don't need to... You're not obliged to do anything..."

"No, you need to understand. I'm not choosing the option that is the necessity. I'm choosing the one that I want, because I'm choosing to be yours instead of Hohenheim's. I'm not repaying you the favour for what you did for me and Al tonight. I'm just choosing to adopt you back..." Ed felt determination filling him, even if there were tears stinging in his eyes and he pulled back to look at Roy as he took another few sips from his straw. "...So I'm rejecting him completely and we're gonna make a pit stop at the way to our room, because I'm calling the Führer," he mumbled around his straw with a small smile on his face.

He saw Roy tense in obvious confusion. "Why would you be calling him, Ed?"

Ed didn't stop drinking and just spoke in a nonchalant way after another long sip. "Because I'm not choosing the necessary option either, Dad... And I like the ring of Edward Elric Mustang."

* * *

Al had been standing by the door ever since Roy left together with Lieutenant Hawkeye to get Ed. He was ready to hug his brother the second he came into the room because there was no doubt in his mind that Brother needed one after this. He would have to be careful, of course, but he still wanted to give him one.

The door was opened and Al froze.

Brother's hair was now cut like Roy's.

...But contrary to what Al had expected, his eyes weren't revealing a crushed spirit. They weren't those of someone who was subdued. Yes, they were bloodshot and the bags under them told them that Brother was exhausted. He was obviously still in considerable amounts of pain and tonight had no doubt been very hard on him.

And yet he was smiling awkwardly. He was even looking a bit happy, dressed in something that was the same colour as the shirt Roy had been wearing as he left, suggesting that Roy had transmuted it for him.

"Hi, Al..." he said awkwardly. "Guess things got a bit... surprising tonight..."

"Yes, Brother, they did... Are you all right? Roy said that General Schiff was trying to use this to 24/7 work on turning you into a soldier! Did they hurt you?" Al asked anxiously, not daring to ask about his hair.

Ed just shrugged. "Didn't get much sleep, strangely enough, but they didn't do anything that could be considered child abuse. My hair was 'cos I kinda felt pretty miserable and Schiff's wife's a hairdresser so I asked her to cut it this way so that I had something to remind me of which team I really belonged to... I think they only agreed to it because it would probably have only been depressing at some point because I wasn't getting back... so it would only serve to break my spirit and stuff..." Al could tell that he was lying through his teeth about it being voluntary. But he didn't seem as bothered by it as Al would have thought he'd be. "But I guess it kinda fits, now that we have a Dad and everything... My hair kinda looked like Hohenheim's after all, so I guess I'm giving him the finger with this..." then he looked at all of the people in the room, his face softening, revealing some of the usually well-hidden vulnerability that had been shining through slightly these last few days.

Al felt awkward about it all. He was grateful that Roy had done this for them so as to get Brother back into his care permanently. And Al was sure that they would be having a happy and good home with Roy no matter what.

And living with him also meant that if Brother needed to get free from Schiff because Roy wasn't able to get him back under his command, then they could still pursue leads on the Stone through Roy's vast amount of available resources. They might be slowed down, but they wouldn't be reaching a dead end.

And they actually had a father again. Al didn't actually remember Van Hohenheim. The man had left before Al was actually physically able to now recall what he even looked like. He didn't know the sound of his voice. Nor his smell. Nothing. He only remembered Mom's love for him and the constant reminder that he would return.

...And Al couldn't help but feel like he was letting Mom down by choosing someone else to be their father when she had chosen Van Hohenheim.

But it wasn't fair to Roy not to treat him like they should because Mom would still have liked Roy. And Al had a feeling that she was actually happy about them being looked after by a parent again. There was no doubt in his mind that she would have thanked him for taking care of her sons for her.

Winry suddenly came out of nowhere, running right at Brother, but throwing her arms around his neck while pressing her cheek to his unbruised one instead of a normal hug.

"W-Winry?!" Ed stammered, blushing profusely. "What are you doing?"

"I believe it is called a hug, Ed," Roy said, a fond smile on his face, although his eyes too were heavy with a lot of physical and emotional pain. Pain that he wasn't telling them about and neither was Brother. "Childhood friends aren't unknown to do that when they find that someone they care about has been tortured."

Winry pulled away at that, blushing, before looking down. "I-I hope you're... That you're getting back to Roy's team soon..." she said quietly. "And that you'll be happy living with him."

Ed looked awkward, but then gave her an encouraging look. "Yeah, well, I kinda made a couple of phone calls myself once we got here and it's really close to HQ, so it was easy to fix... Uh, so I'm kind of an Elric Mustang now... So, yeah, I'm pretty happy with him already..."

There was silence from all of the room's occupants. Then Granny walked over to Brother, looking up at him. "I'm happy that it appears that I made the right decision when allowing him to adopt you two, then."

Ed gave an embarrassed nod. "Yeah, thanks, Granny..." Then he looked at all of them awkwardly. "Uh, but would it be okay if I kinda called the nurse here with some painkillers so that I can take a nap?"

* * *

Maes was more than a little surprised when Führer Bradley himself called him to his office at ten in the morning, along with Major Armstrong. But even so, they saluted their leader respectfully and the Führer nodded at his assistant to leave the three of them and close the door. He then smiled pleasantly up at the two of them from where he was sitting by a table. There were three teacups and a kettle on a tray in front of him. "Ah, good morning, Lieutenant Colonel Hughes, Major Armstrong. Please have a seat, I have something I would like to discuss with you."

"Yes, sir!" they said at the same time, walking over and sitting down in the two visitor's chairs.

"How do you take your tea?" Führer Bradley asked pleasantly.

Maes felt awkward, but you didn't exactly refuse it when the Führer wanted you to have tea with him. "Two sugar cubes and some cream, sir," Maes told him, just before Major Armstrong told him how he liked his own. They both thanked their leader and soon watched as Führer Bradley took a sip of his own tea, his face turning stony as he went straight to business.

"Now, as to the reason that I summoned the two of you here. I trust that you have heard of the criminal organisation known as the Black Shadows?"

Maes paused. "Yes, sir. I have also been informed that I am not to be involved in the investigation as I have a wife and daughter that can easily be used against me." Which was a fact that Maes had in many ways been thankful for. The thought of his one-and-a-half-year-old daughter being taken hostage and tortured made his stomach churn. And the mental pictures of finding her crying next to a mutilated corpse that was his beautiful Gracia had given him nightmares. Horrible nightmares for the entire week after having been informed as to why he was not to be working on the case. If he was going to be dragged into it now, then he would make it his first priority to have them placed in protective custody.

"Which is why two of my bodyguards are currently at your house, waiting for them to finish packing as they are being brought to the Presidential Estate for the duration of the time that you'll be away. That way it will be very clear that your family cannot be taken hostage at any time, which should also help you focus on the case."

Maes felt his chest fill with relief. "Thank you, Your Excellency, that is very generous of you."

"It merely suits both our needs as you two will be joining me in the East for an unknown amount of time. My wife could use the company and my son would be more than happy to spend some time with your daughter."

Maes paused. He couldn't help but be worried that Roy had got himself into some sort of extensive trouble. Of course, Roy wasn't exactly the only officer at Eastern Command and it could just be that Lieutenant General Grumman had heard a few kind words about Maes during his chess matches with Roy. And the Eastern Area really was far too big for East City to be their only possible destination. "I am sure that Gracia and Elicia will be very happy with the arrangement, thank you, sir."

Führer Bradley nodded slightly. "It is the duty of the military to look after their soldiers, especially as your wife and daughter can be used to pressure not only you, but Colonel Mustang and the Fullmetal Alchemist as well."

Maes felt his stomach clench. That meant that not only Roy was involved, but his entire team, including Alphonse. And his best friend was obviously **_very_** involved with the case. "So we will be working alongside the Colonel and his team, sir?" Maes asked, before taking a sip of his tea so as to be polite.

"Yes. I was informed this morning that an attempt at the lives of both State Alchemists was made yesterday as their dorm was intentionally destroyed by a bomb. However, the Fullmetal Alchemist is no longer under the command of Colonel Mustang. It was his new commanding officer that specifically asked for your assistance in this case as he was worried about his subordinate. As you and Colonel Mustang are friends and work efficiently together, that will probably work in our favour." He then turned to Major Armstrong while Maes felt worry twisting his insides violently. Roy had been worried after Ed got reassigned and Maes hadn't exactly felt easy about it either. And if someone like Schiff was worried, then this was bad. "As for you, Major Armstrong, your alchemy can prove to be highly useful in protecting the lives of those involved. As your family is not one that is likely to be targeted, it also makes it safer for you to join the investigation. I have still made sure to have two soldiers placed at your mansion to provide additional security just in case. I have also informed Major General Armstrong up North that should she be attacked or discover any sort of suspicious activity in relation the the Black Shadows, then she is to capture the culprits and interrogate them."

"Thank you, Führer Bradley, sir," the Major responded.

"We will be working to stop the Black Shadows once and for all as they are currently targeting two of our country's most important State Alchemists. Furthermore, I have reason to believe that their investigation is being slowed down by either blackmail or hostage situations, as well as injury. These people operate by surveilling their targets for weeks before making their move, meaning that they may even have compromising footage or similar simply by having a camera placed in a bathroom or bedroom."

Maes nodded, feeling dread sink into him. "Yes, sir. May I ask about the extent of their injuries?"

"As I have understood it, Edward Elric has had his automail arm destroyed beyond repair, and his remaining wrist has been badly sprained. As he also lost his temper and punched his new commanding officer little over a week ago, he is suffering from the effects of twenty lashes with a cat o'nine tails and his wounds were reopened by the explosion. He also has a broken nose and a mild concussion from a surprise attack by an unknown culprit five days ago. As for Colonel Mustang, his right shoulder was impaled during the explosion and he has broken his collarbone and will be required to wear a sling for the next few weeks. Both of them received a large amount of smaller cuts from a shattered window and their left palms have suffered damage from being caned by Major General Schiff for insubordination."

Maes felt horror rise in his entire chest. Edward was obviously suffering from an alarming amount of painful and debilitating injuries and Roy wasn't exactly in the best shape either. No wonder that the Führer felt the need to stop these bastards once and for all. And Maes couldn't help the anger he still felt that Roy had lost Edward from his team. People wanted to use him as a soldier because he had "great promise as a human weapon," and Maes knew that Roy wouldn't send Ed into war. That didn't count for someone like Schiff. And he had **_flogged_** a fourteen-year-old child. Maes felt like giving the bastard a meeting with one of his daggers. The man wasn't of the kind that used that blasted object just to harm but to severely injure the people being punished.

Führer Bradley spoke up again, obviously unfazed by Ed's treatment. Maes noticed that he was **_definitely _**going to help Roy reach the top. "Now: I will be meeting you at the Central train station at one o'clock sharp. There are a couple of soldiers waiting for you outside my office. They will escort you to and from your homes to provide you with protection while you are getting ready to leave."

"Yes, sir!" they told him at the same time.

He nodded once. "That is all, you may leave if you have finished your tea."

Maes found that he had unconsciously drunk the warm beverage out of need for something to make him a bit less worried about the situation, and it seemed that the Major had done the same. "Thank you, Your Excellency."

They got to their feet and saluted him before heading for the door.

"Oh, just a minute, there is one more thing that you should know," Führer Bradley said, and they both whipped around to look at him.

"And what would that be, sir?" Major Armstrong asked.

"Little over two hours ago, Colonel Roy Mustang was legally declared the adoptive father of Edward and Alphonse Elric. In fact, it is actually Edward Elric Mustang as I approved the name change about twenty minutes ago."

The Major gasped, Maes was honestly just confused. Roy cared about his subordinates, but to actually adopt a couple of kids out of the blue like that? And especially obviously going to such great lengths to do it so quickly? And Ed had even taken his name?

Then he realised that Schiff would be Ed's legal guardian as his CO and things began making sense.

...And Maes was beginning to wonder if the Major General wasn't as interested in furthering the military's goals as he was believed to be.

And the fact that Roy had gone with adoption rather than permanent guardianship suggested that Maes might just find himself an uncle within a few years. Especially as one of Roy's new sons suddenly found themselves with a second surname.

_I definitely need to get to East City_.

* * *

**So, I'm doing something a bit unusual, because I have begun writing a sort of sequel for this story. It's an AU for the events of Brotherhood/the manga, but where Roy is Ed and Al's adoptive father. **

**It will be a series of interconnected one-shots that are a mostly behind-the-scenes moments of the canon story, but where the boys have a place to come home to when they're in between leads. So Roy is being a protective and worried dad while the events unfurl around them, and does what he can to keep tabs on his boys and provides them with leads for the Stone, Ed is a teenager, and Al is as sweet as ever.**

**So I'm posting the first part now and I hope you people will be interested in taking a peek!**

**And no, there won't be any real spoilers for this story, only that things have got back to normal within the next fifteen months, Ed is back under Roy's command and that Al too has changed his name at some point.**

**It is called "You Boys Are Going to Give Me an Ulcer".**


End file.
